West Cavan pensioner “infuriated” by Garda raid
SEARCH Gardaí recover decommissioned weapon from octogenarian
An 88-year-old Swanlinbar man claims he will sue An Garda Síochána after a decommissioned handgun was seized from his home. Jude McGovern as shocked when officers executed a warrant on his home on Saturday, April 9: “Can you imagine 10 armed Guards at your door?” the octogenarian said.
Mr McGovern told The Anglo-Celt about the history of the firearm: “I was in the cops in New York for a year in ‘68. I was laid off and I ended up in the Department of Correction. I retired in ‘87. I had a permit to carry it [a gun] for all my life in New York. I moved here in ‘96. I would go back to New York a couple of times a year where I still had my apartment. I decided to bring my gun back to Cavan, so I had it decommissioned.”
The gun was a Smith and Wesson five shot revolver which he bought in 1968, and kept for sentimental reasons.
The former US police officer said he believes the weapon came to Garda attention through social media: “About three years ago I allowed a visitor to my home take a picture with my gun. He put it up on Facebook, which was not smart on my part.”
He relayed how the raid took him by surprise.
“Last Saturday morning I went out to get a newspaper. At about 9:15am I was returning home. There were 10 armed Guards outside my apartment here on Main Street in Swanlanbar, there were four squad cars and two unmarked police cars. They had forced their way into my apartment.”
The Gardaí showed him the search warrant for his premises.
Infuriated
“There were four of them going through my drawers,” Jude told the Celt, “I came out with a litany of four letter words. I was completely infuriated. I have an irregular heartbeat, I am retired 35 years.”
When the lead officer asked him about the weapon Mr McGovern told them: “I said, ‘yes I have gun, but it’s not functional’.”
The 88-year-old said the incident was nerve-racking.
“They took the gun and said they would examine it and if it’s not functional they will return it to me. That was Saturday morning, I was really ready to boil over with rage. I had to go to the doctor to give me pills for stress.”
Mr McGovern said he is considering legal action.
“I’m going to sue them, they forced my door in,” he concluded.
When contacted about the matter Garda Press Office said they do not provide comment on named individuals.