A man in Portarlington has been arrested and charged after he was found to have been carrying a suspected firearm.
The incident occurred in the town on Saturday and the man was arrested.
Gardai initially received reports that the man was in possession of a ‘loaded gun’.
He was understood to have been in the St Brigid’s Square area of the town.
A spokesperson from the Garda Press Office confirmed the incident to LaoisToday.
They said: “Gardaí arrested a man and seized a suspected firearm following an incident that took place at approximately 7:30pm on Saturday, the 29th of July 2023 in Portarlington, Co Laois.
“The man (who is aged in his 30s) has since been charged and appeared before a sitting of Portlaoise District Court earlier this morning.
“This is an offence under the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009.”
It is believed that the man was carrying an imitation firearm and that is catered for under the above act.
Section 9A (1) sates: “Where a person, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse (the onus of proving which shall lie on him or her), has a realistic imitation firearm with him or her in any public place, that person shall be guilty of an offence.”
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