By Dara Bradley 

A former cocaine user from Co. Galway has failed in a bid to overturn a garda decision to revoke his firearms licences for guns used to control vermin on farms. 

Simon Gibbons of Lemonfield, Oughterard, Co. Galway applied to Derrynea District Court to appeal Superintendent Finbar Philpott’s decision to refuse to renew his licences for a rifle and shotgun. 

Gibbons said he used the shotgun during lambing season to control foxes on his grandfather’s and two friends’ farms, and the rifle was for shooting birds at Christmas. 

The 33-year-old, who has no convictions, had held licences for a Ruger .223 rifle and a 12-gauge Reno shotgun since 2012 without any issues. 

However, while applying to renew the licences in October 2024, it emerged that Gibbons was a cocaine user – and had admitted this to gardaí. 

Supt. Philpott, advised by Garda Lorraine Walsh and Sgt. Eoin O’Malley, decided not to renew the licences. 

Refusal to renew firearms licences

Supt. Philpott told barrister Patrick Murphy, instructed by state solicitor Rachel Joyce, that he believed Gibbons was a man of “intemperate habits” who used or was addicted to cocaine.

As such, the superintendent felt he was a danger to public safety and “disentitled” to hold a licence for guns. 

Det. Peter Naughton gave evidence of stopping and searching Simon Gibbons’ BMW car in Oughterard in June, 2024. 

The search and random drug testing were both negative, but Gibbons admitted to Det. Naughton that he was a cocaine user, and had used the drug three weeks previously. 

Det. Naughton told the court that Gibbons informed him he was attending meetings for his cocaine addiction. 

Simon Gibbons, responding to his solicitor Caitriona Vine, agreed that he admitted to using cocaine but did so because he was anxious and panicked when questioned by Det. Naughton. 

In a discussion at Oughterard Garda Station about his firearms renewal application, Gibbons also told Sgt. O’Malley that he was a cocaine addict but had stopped and was getting treatment.   

“Drug use and guns – it just doesn’t work and that’s my bottom line,” Sgt. O’Malley, who seized the guns on February 4, 2025 and put them into storage, said.

Simon Gibbons told Judge Fiona Lydon he no longer used cocaine, hadn’t taken any in three years, and was not an addict. 

Addiction counsellor Joe Treacy gave evidence that six drug samples taken from his client, Simon Gibbons, in the year to May 2026 returned negative results. 

The counsellor, who told the court cocaine addiction was an epidemic in Ireland, suggested Simon Gibbons required monthly screening and addiction counselling. 

Judge Lydon noted the comments of the expert in drug addiction and rehabilitation, in upholding the garda decision to revoke Gibbons’ gun licences. 

She said she agreed with Supt. Philpott that public safety concerns superseded his requirement to hold the firearms.