Cork man who acted as lookout for shotgun attack jailed 

The ‘sketch’ or lookout man for a shotgun attack at a house in Cork was jailed for three years today.

Judge Dermot Sheehan characterised the role of Craig Condron as secondary to the more serious action in the crime which was taking place at the house with the discharging of the improvised – slam-bang - firearm at the property.

An overall sentence of four years was imposed on the 22-year-old at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, with the last year suspended.

“His role was – as is sometimes termed – a sketch. He kept an eye out and kept the motorbike running,” judge Sheehan said.

This investigation of an incident at a house in Shanakiel in Cork last August involving an improvised firearm resulted in Mr Condron being before the court today. A second man is to be sentenced in May.

Craig Condron of 76 Templeacre Avenue, Gurranabraher, Cork, affirmed his guilty pleas at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to all charges against him. 

He pleaded guilty to travelling on the stolen motorbike and two counts under the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act. 

These consisted of charges that at Laurel Ridge, Shanakiel, Cork, on August 23, 2024, he had a firearm, namely a 12-guage improvised shotgun for an unlawful purpose, and had in his possession ammunition – a 12-guage Winchester brand cartridge.

Judge Sheehan said it was unfortunate that the motorbike collided with an elderly man crossing the road in the area afterwards. 

However, the judge said the evidence was that it was the other man – not Mr Condron – who was driving it at the time so that this offence could not be blamed on the defendant before the court today.

Tom Creed defence senior counsel said the young man had been doing well against a background of criminality when he was younger. 

However, he reacted badly to the sudden death from an overdose of a person close to him and resorted to taking tablets. This resulted in him becoming homeless for a period and getting involved in this criminality.