The Gort man convicted over the Crowe Siege has been jailed for four years.
42 year old Anthony Burke of 67 Crowe Street was found guilty last May of possession of two shotguns in suspicious circumstances on the 9th of October 2006.
However he was cleared of intent to endangering life during the 21-hour standoff with Gardai at his Gort home.
Today Galway Circuit Criminal Court heard Burke had been drinking heavily earlier that day and attended a funeral prior to the domestic dispute.
The Gort man convicted over the Crowe Siege has been jailed for four years.
42 year old Anthony Burke of 67 Crowe Street was found guilty last May of possession of two shotguns in suspicious circumstances on the 9th of October 2006.
However he was cleared of intent to endangering life during the 21-hour standoff with Gardai at his Gort home.
Today Galway Circuit Criminal Court heard Burke had been drinking heavily earlier that day and attended a funeral prior to the domestic dispute.
Burke’s partner Margaret Corless, her then 6 month old baby, 11 year old son and 14 year old daughter were forced to flee after Burke began firing shots.
A massive Garda operation ensued during which neighbours had to be evacuated from Crowe Street.
Detective Inspector Conlon told Judge Raymond Groarke that a female Garda, who was shot at, was still extremely traumatised by the incident.
A total of 48 shots were fired by Burke and the siege only ended when he was shot by a Garda sniper outside his house.
The court heard he was an upstanding member of Gort Community, had been a volunteer in the local fire brigade and a member of Kilbeaconty Gun Club.
Judge Groarke imposed a five year sentence on nine counts on Anthony Burke and a 3 year sentence on two counts, all to run concurrently from today.
He suspended the final year on condition that Burke keep the peace for four years after his release and abstained from drink so that “this kind of outrage" as the judge called it, would never happen again.
The judge ordered the confiscation of Anthony Burke’s firearms and refused him leave to appeal the sentence.
