Courts / Louth / Report

Son of man once convicted of Omagh bombing has explosives conviction quashed on appeal

Date
2015-11-06
Stage
Appeal
Primary locality
Dundalk
County
Louth

Summary

Conan Murphy, 29, son of former Real IRA bomber Colm Murphy, had his 2012 conviction for possession of explosives at Aghaboys, Dundalk, quashed by the Court of Appeal. The Special Criminal Court had sentenced him to eight‑and‑a‑half years after finding him guilty on 22 May 2010. The appeal was based on the Supreme Court's declaration that a section of the Offences Against the State Act was unconstitutional, which the Special Criminal Court had not allowed to be considered. The Court of Appeal ordered a retrial and remanded both Murphy and co‑accused Philip McKevitt, 62, back to the Special Criminal Court. The appeal highlighted that the legal landscape had changed fundamentally and that the case required a new trial to address the altered circumstances. The decision was made on 6 November 2015.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Son of man once convicted of Omagh bombing has explosives conviction quashed on appeal. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

Case subjects

Philip McKevitt

Appellant

Outcome: Philip McKevitt (62) of Aghaboys, Mount Pleasant, was also jailed for eight-and-a-half years having been found guilty of the same offence at his home on the same date.; Mr Justice Birmingham, who sat with Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan and Mr Justice John Edwards, ordered the retrial and remanded both men back to the Special Criminal Court until Tuesday next.

Places mentioned

Court Venue
  • Court of Appeal
  • The Special Criminal Court
  • Special Criminal Court
  • Supreme Court
Residence
Secondary Mention

Topics

Stage Appeal

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