A BELFAST man has pleaded guilty to possessing a rifle seized by detectives investigating the murder of Stephen Carson a year ago.
Francis Gerard Patrick Smyth (40), of Glenmurray Court, in the west of the city, was due to go on trial at Belfast Crown Court on four charges linked to the seizure.
Defence barrister Neil Fox asked Judge Patricia Smyth for the defendant to be re-arraigned on all four charges he faced.
Smyth pleaded guilty to possessing a semi-automatic Ruger rifle in suspicious circusmtances on February 26, 2016.
Smyth further admitted possessing a .22 calibre sound suppressor and 50 Rimfire .22 calibre cartridges with hollow points in suspicious circumstances. He also pleaded guilty to have having an airgun without a firearms certificate.
A prosecution lawyer told the court: "The guilty pleas entered deal with the indictment in its entirety.''
Mr Fox asked for the Probation Service to compile a report ahead of sentencing and informed the court there would be a medical report which would deal with Smyth's "difficulties with alcohol''.
Judge Smyth adjourned sentencing until next month and released the defendant on continuing bail but warned him not to take that as an indication of what the judgement of the court would be.
Stephen Carson was shot dead at a house in south Belfast. The 28-year-old was eating dinner at a house in Walmer Street off Ormeau Road with his partner and nine year old son when armed men broke into the property.
He tried to hide in a bathroom but his attackers blasted him through the door with a shotgun.
Detectives from the PSNI's Major Investigation Team said at the time that they did not believe his murder was paramilitary related or sectarian.
Michael Smith (38), of Ardmonagh Crescent and David Smith (33), of Monagh Drive, both west Belfast, were later jointly charged with Mr Carson's murder.
