TWO BROTHERS ACCUSED of discharging a “military grade” semi-automatic rifle in a built-up residential area in Dublin have been refused bail.

Glen Ward, 31, from Finglas, Dublin, and his brother Eric O’Driscoll, 22, have been in custody on remand since 12 January but moved fresh applications in the High Court in Cloverhill today.

They are also awaiting a decision on whether they will be allowed free legal aid following a query about them having “high-end Rolex watches”.

Ward is charged with possession of an AR-15 rifle and reckless discharge of a firearm at an address at Ratoath Drive, Finglas, on or about 1 January 2022.

O’Driscoll is accused of reckless discharge of a firearm at the same address on the same date.

He is also charged with possession of an AR-15, as well as an Ingram sub-machine gun and ammunition, at another address at Ratoath Drive on 10 February 12022.

The offences can, on conviction, carry a maximum of 14-year sentences.

Matthew Holmes BL for the State outlined the charges against the pair and submitted the court had grounds to rule against their applications.

Detective Sergeant Niall Murray cited the seriousness of the case and said there was a possibility of further charges.

Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford ordered that no evidence supporting the objection to bail was to be reported in the media.

She also acceded to a request from defence counsel Ronan Prendergast not to disclose their address.

The defendants appeared remotely for the bail application.

Sitting side by side on the video link, they only spoke once on the video link to confirm their names, and they opted not to give evidence.

Family members were in court, and counsel said they offered to stand €3,000 bail for Eric O’Driscoll and €3,500 for Glen Ward.

Prendergast submitted that garda objections could be addressed by imposing conditions on the pair, including a curfew, and gardaí could “keep tabs on them”.

Ms Justice Lankford said the pair enjoyed the presumption of innocence and bail.

However, she denied their applications. In her ruling, she said: “We are not talking about firearms found in a farm or a country setting; we are talking about military-grade weapons and discharging in a built-up location where members of the public might have been, and that is a concern.”

Directions from the DPP are awaited about their trial venue, and they are due back in the District Court on 27 February for a ruling on their legal aid application.

Following the ruling, the court heard they had not retained their legal team privately.

Detective Sergeant Niall Murray said today that the brothers were not on social welfare. He said that on Tuesday, the District Court judge deferred granting free legal aid pending more information and “further consideration”.

He added that an expensive car had been seized from Ward. He alleged they were “in control of high-end Rolex watches”.