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Suspended sentence for man caught with pipe bomb in his tracksuit pants

Summary

A 35‑year‑old Dublin man, Francis Whelan of Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a pipe bomb found in his tracksuit pants on 13 October 2012 in the Killinarden Heights area. He claimed he was set up by an acquaintance that day and did not know the item was a pipe bomb, saying he carried it for a €100 reward of cannabis. Prosecutor John Quirke BL described the bomb as a viable explosive with serious potential consequences, while defence lawyer Dean Kelly BL noted Whelan's positive participation in the St Dominic's community‑based project and lack of further police attention. Judge Melanie Greally warned of the extreme and horrifying results of pipe bombs, described Whelan as somewhat apathetic, and urged him to change his life. She imposed a two‑year suspended jail sentence, conditioned on engagement with addiction support services and regular drug testing.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Suspended sentence for man caught with pipe bomb in his tracksuit pants. Charges or matters: possession of a pipe bomb in the Killinarden Heights area of Tallaght on October 13, 2012. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• October 13, 2012 Incident
• 2015-03-23 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report