Courts / Mayo / Report
Mayo brothers jailed over explosives find
Summary
Two brothers from Claremorris in County Mayo have been sentenced to five and a half years' imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court, with the final two and a half years suspended. Colin Mannion, aged 37, and Brian Mannion, aged 34, of Burriscarra, Clogher, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of explosive substances including RDX, PETN, detonators and electrical components discovered at their home on 9 June 2012. Charges of membership of an unlawful organisation were not proceeded with. The court heard that gardaí found materials and equipment consistent with bomb manufacturing in a metal container in a shed on the property. Mr Justice Tony Hunt noted the men had relevant professional qualifications and skills. Mitigation factors included their guilty pleas, limited involvement of two to three months, good character prior to the offences, and sworn undertakings to refrain from subversive activities. The sentence was backdated to 7 June 2017.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Mayo brothers jailed over explosives find. Charges or matters: the unlawful possession of explosive substances RDX, PETN, one loaded detonator, two unloaded detonators and three electrical component parts at their home on June 9, 2012. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- June 9, 2012 Incident
- May 2012 Incident
- June 9 Incident
- June 7, 2017 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2017-06-15 Publication
Case subjects
Accused
Charges: the unlawful possession of explosive substances RDX, PETN, one loaded detonator, two unloaded detonators and three electrical component parts at their home on June 9, 2012 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: The judge said the men's bail conditions had been "relaxed" over the years and during this time each had applied themselves in a "productive and law-abiding manner." He said that Colin Mannion and Brian Mannion do not have any relevant or serious criminal convictions and there was evidence of "positive good character prior to these offences." The court must impose a custodial sentence and each of the accused must serve a period of time in custody for their wrongdoing, he said. Colin Mannion and Brian Mannion each took the stand at yesterday's sentence hearing, where they undertook to the three-judge, non-jury court to refrain from activities in the future and not associate with members of subversive or paramilitary organisations. "These oaths are peculiar to cases in this court and are not offered very frequently and so they must be considered carefully," he said.
Accused
Charges: the unlawful possession of explosive substances RDX, PETN, one loaded detonator, two unloaded detonators and three electrical component parts at their home on June 9, 2012 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: The judge said the men's bail conditions had been "relaxed" over the years and during this time each had applied themselves in a "productive and law-abiding manner." He said that Colin Mannion and Brian Mannion do not have any relevant or serious criminal convictions and there was evidence of "positive good character prior to these offences." The court must impose a custodial sentence and each of the accused must serve a period of time in custody for their wrongdoing, he said. Colin Mannion and Brian Mannion each took the stand at yesterday's sentence hearing, where they undertook to the three-judge, non-jury court to refrain from activities in the future and not associate with members of subversive or paramilitary organisations. "These oaths are peculiar to cases in this court and are not offered very frequently and so they must be considered carefully," he said.
Places mentioned
Topics
Related court reports
- Man who subjected stranger to violent sex assault in hotel room is jailed for 7.5 years
- Murder accused said he gouged flatmate's eye out when he came at him with knife
- Mayo jury returns insanity verdict in telecoms damage case
- 'Self-proclaimed pillar of society' (89) jailed for historic abuse
- "Self-proclaimed pillar of society" sexually abused five-year-old girl
- Farmer spared jail over crash that killed woman
If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.
Email a correction request