Courts / Dublin / Report

Man whose DNA was found on car used in Newry bomb attack is jailed for four years

Date
2017-01-16

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

Darren Weldon, a 45‑year‑old from Kilbarrack, Dublin, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to four years' imprisonment for membership of a dissident terrorist organisation, the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The conviction followed DNA evidence linking him to a number plate recovered from the wreckage of a car bomb that detonated outside Newry courthouse on 22 February 2010. The court heard that the plate was found by PSNI officers and that DNA swabs taken from Weldon while in custody matched the profile on the plate. Weldon had previously been arrested in September 2012 on suspicion of IRA membership after attending the funeral of Alan Ryan, a former "Real IRA" member. The court also considered a WhatsApp message on Weldon's phone praising those who act "regardless of the consequences." Mr Justice Tony Hunt sentenced Weldon to five years, suspending the final year, and the effective custodial term was four years.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Man whose DNA was found on car used in Newry bomb attack is jailed for four years. Charges or matters: membership of a dissident terrorist organisation. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Convicted

When: