Courts / Dublin / Report

Convicted bomb maker Gannon gets community service over false passport

Date
2021-02-15

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

Donal Gannon, 58, a former bomb maker convicted in London in 1997 of conspiracy to cause explosions, was sentenced by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 240 hours of community service within 18 months for providing false documents in a passport application. He also received a three‑year prison sentence for using a false instrument, which was suspended in full on strict conditions. Gannon had attempted to renew an Irish passport in the name of David O'Brien, a man who died in 1986, claiming he needed it to climb a mountain in the US. Gardaí found CCTV footage, photographs, and a passport bearing Gannon's name, and he denied making the application, alleging the photos were planted. The court noted his release under the Good Friday Agreement in 2000 and his subsequent "exemplary life.". Donal Gannon pleaded guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Convicted bomb maker Gannon gets community service over false passport. Charges or matters: providing information and documents which were and he knew to be false and misleading in connection with a passport application for the renewal of an Irish passport in the name David O'Brien at an unknown location in the State on an unknown date between May 7, 2017 and May 30, 2017; using a false instrument at Kevin's Street Garda Station, Kevin's Street, Dublin 8, on May 7, 2017. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Convicted

When:

July 1997 Incident
May 7, 2017 Other
May 30, 2017 Other
August 2017 Hearing Or Sentence
July 23, 1963 Hearing Or Sentence
2001 and 2005 Other
2006 and 2016 Other
2021-02-15 Publication

Case subjects

Donal Gannon

Convicted Person

Charges: providing information and documents which were and he knew to be false and misleading in connection with a passport application for the renewal of an Irish passport in the name David O'Brien at an unknown location in the State on an unknown date between May 7, 2017 and May 30, 2017; using a false instrument at Kevin's Street Garda Station, Kevin's Street, Dublin 8, on May 7, 2017 (Proven)

Plea: Guilty

Finding: Convicted

Outcome: Convicted; Judge Greally ordered that Gannon complete 240 hours of community service within 18 months in lieu of three years imprisonment for the offence of providing false documents in connection with a passport application. She also sentenced Gannon to three years imprisonment for the offence of using a false instrument, but suspended the entirety of the sentence on strict conditions.