Webly revolvers from the late 1800s which were confiscated from a 61-year-old man in West Cork are to be sent to the National Museum of Ireland instead of being destroyed.
Earlier this week at Cork Circuit Criminal Court an order was made for the destruction of the weapons seized from Czech national, Jan Walowy, who pleaded guilty to four firearms offences
Mr Walowy pleaded guilty to three counts of unlawfully possessing three different Webley revolvers at his home in Molaga Street, Clonakilty on January 21st of this year.
He also pleaded guilty to a fourth count of possessing twelve rounds of .455 ammunition also at Molaga Street, Clonakilty on the same date. All charges were contrary to the Firearms Act 1964, as amended.
The court heard that the factory worker, who sends money home to the Czech Republic to one of his two children, was of extremely limited financial means. He is without previous convictions.
Paranoid state
Mr Walowy had claimed that he found the revolvers in a sealed container onside a black plastic bag on the foreshore in Clonakilty.
Judge Helen Boyle heard that the revolvers were legally defined as firearms. One was rusted and beyond use but two of them were capable of firing shots.
Sgt Kevin Long told Judge Boyle that Mr Walowy had taken the weapons out to show friends when he was under the influence of alcohol.
He pointed a revolver containing bullets at one friend. However, there was no evidence of the revolvers being fired.
When gardaí arrived at the scene he told them to check a liquid in a bottle because he feared he was being poisoned. He was in a paranoid state.
Judge Boyle imposed a three-year suspended sentence in the case. A destruction order for the weapons was put in place.
However, Prosecution barrister Brendan Kelly has now said that the weapons will go to the National Museum of Ireland after they expressed interest in having them in their possession.
The order has been changed to allow the weapons to be sent to the museum.
The Webly Revolver was, in various marks, a standard issue service revolver for the armed forces of the United Kingdom, the British Empire and the Commonwealth, from 1887 to 1970.
