Courts / Dublin / Report
Queen's visit bomber loses appeal based on Irish language rights
Summary
Donal Billings, a 67-year-old pensioner from County Longford, has lost his appeal against convictions obtained at the Special Criminal Court. The appeal, heard by the Court of Appeal, focused on two primary issues: the sufficiency of evidence and alleged violations of his Irish language rights. Billings was found guilty of possessing an explosive substance at Longford railway station car park on May 16, 2011, and making false bomb reports on May 16, 18, and 20, 2011, targeting Busáras, Sinn Féin headquarters, Dublin Castle, and Cork airport during Queen Elizabeth's state visit. He was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, who described the acts as outrageous and dangerous. In the appeal, counsel Martin Giblin SC argued that Billings' Irish language rights were destroyed, citing the lack of an Irish-language transcript and the unavailability of the Explosive Substances Act 1883 in Irish. President of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, dismissed these arguments, stating the evidence was sufficient and that the trial arrangements, including the use of interpreters, were reasonable. The court found no disadvantage to Billings and ruled that the State was not compelled to provide an Irish transcript or translate pre-1922 statutes. The appeal was dismissed, upholding the original conviction and sentence.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Queen's visit bomber loses appeal based on Irish language rights. Charges or matters: possessing an explosive substance at Longford railway station car park on May 16th, 2011; making false reports on May 16 and May 18, 2011, that bombs had been placed at Busáras and Sinn Féin's headquarters in Dublin and that two mortars were set for Dublin Castle. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Found guilty
When:
- May 16th, 2011 Incident
- May 16 Incident
- May 18, 2011 Incident
- May 20th Other
- May 16, 2011 Incident
- May 18th Other
- 2019-05-28 Publication
Case subjects
Appellant
Charges: possessing an explosive substance at Longford railway station car park on May 16th, 2011; making false reports on May 16 and May 18, 2011, that bombs had been placed at Busáras and Sinn Féin's headquarters in Dublin and that two mortars were set for Dublin Castle (Proven)
Finding: Found guilty
Outcome: Found guilty; Sentencing him to eight-and-a-half years imprisonment, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding, said Billings was "perfectly entitled to hold a low opinion" of Queen Elizabeth and her visit to Ireland but was "not entitled to express such an opinion by engaging in criminality".
Places mentioned
- Special Criminal Court
- Court of Appeal
- Central Criminal Court
- The Special Criminal Court
- was made to Longford Garda Station
- Longford
Topics
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