Courts / Longford / Report

Court upholds sentencing of Queen's visit bomber

Date
2020-07-06

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Longford

Summary

The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal against the severity of the sentence imposed on Donal Billings, a 70-year-old pensioner from County Longford. Billings was found guilty by the Special Criminal Court in 2016 of possessing an explosive substance at Longford railway station car park on May 16, 2011, during Queen Elizabeth's state visit. He was also convicted of making false reports that bombs had been placed at Busáras, Sinn Féin's headquarters, Cork airport, and Dublin Castle. The court upheld his eight-and-a-half-year sentence, describing it as "very lenient." Presiding Judge George Birmingham, sitting with Justices Marie Baker and Patrick McCarthy, stated there was no merit in the appeal and declined to increase the term. Billings, who attended remotely from Portlaoise Prison, had previously lost an appeal against his conviction regarding Irish language rights. His barrister, Gerard Humphreys SC, cited his client's age, health difficulties, and cooperation during the trial. The court noted that the explosive device, comprising gunpowder and petrol, was placed on a public transport vehicle, recklessly exposing passengers to significant risk. The judges concluded that while the sentence was lenient, they would not intervene to increase it. The matter was not adjourned; the appeal was dismissed.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Court upholds sentencing of Queen's visit bomber. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Found guilty

When:

May 16th, 2011 Incident
May 16, 2011 Incident
May 18th Other
May 20th Other
2020-07-06 Publication

Case subjects

Donal Billings

Appellant

Finding: Found guilty

Outcome: Found guilty; Credit: Collins) A pensioner, who put a bomb on a bus during Queen Elizabeth's visit here, has lost an appeal against the severity of his eight-and-a-half year sentence.