Courts / Fermanagh / Report
'Surprising candidates' avoid jail over 'bizarre' purported CIRA attack
Summary
Two men from County Cavan have received suspended sentences at the Special Criminal Court for assisting the Continuity IRA in connection with a purported attack on Enniskillen police station in March 2021. Desmond Smith, aged 65, of Kilnavara Crescent, and Stephen Hamill, aged 52, of Gortnakesh, both pleaded guilty to knowingly rendering assistance to an organisation styling itself the IRA in furtherance of an unlawful object. The attack went unnoticed until media calls prompted a search near the station, which recovered an improvised "slam gun" device. Justice Tony Hunt noted the defendants were "surprising candidates" for such involvement, both lacking relevant previous convictions. He imposed a four-year sentence on Hamill, suspended for four years on condition of a €100 bond, and sentenced Smith to two years nine months, suspended for three years. Both men undertook to disassociate themselves from criminal and paramilitary organisations.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'Surprising candidates' avoid jail over 'bizarre' purported CIRA attack. Charges or matters: knowingly rendering assistance to an organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA in the performance or furtherance of an unlawful object on March 18, 2021 within the State; the same offence on March 13, 2021. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- March 18, 2021 Incident
- March 13, 2021 Incident
- March 13 Incident
- March 14, 2021 Other
- March 16, 2021 Incident
- March 17, 2021 Incident
- February 2021 Incident
- March 2021 Incident
- 2024-10-14 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: knowingly rendering assistance to an organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA in the performance or furtherance of an unlawful object on March 18, 2021 within the State; the same offence on March 13, 2021 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He sentenced Smith to a period of two years and nine months imprisonment and suspended this for a period of three years.
Defendant
Charges: the same offence on March 13, 2021 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Mr Justice Hunt imposed a sentence of four years in respect of Hamill but suspended this for a period of four years on condition that he enter into a bond of €100.
Places mentioned
- Special Criminal Court
- Kilnavara Crescent
- Cavan
- Enniskillen
- Newtownbutler Road
Topics
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