Moyross man jailed for shooting at Gardai

Shane Shapland , son of a former Sinn Féin Dáil candidate has been jailed for 5 years today after he was found guilty of charges relating to shooting at three uniformed Gardai back in 2004.

The 22-year-old pleaded guilty at Limerick Circuit Court today to the charges relating to the incident which happened on May 18th of that year. He had already pleaded guilty to possession of a double-barreled sawn-off shotgun at Ballygrennan Close, Moyross at a May 9th court date.

Shooting at members of the Gardai was "as serious an offence as you could come across" said Judge Carroll Moran who presided over today’s hearing.

He added that he would have jailed Mr. Shapland for 10 years, had he denied the charge and been convicted by a jury.

Mr. Shapland fired two shots at the back of a Garda car as it left the scene of a traffic accident in the housing estate.

Mr. Shaplands counsel David Goldber said that his client was extremely remorseful and wished to apologise to the Gardai and to the court for his behavior.