Courts / Westmeath / Report
Westmeath man jailed for possession of IED
Summary
A Westmeath man has received a three-year prison sentence at the Special Criminal Court for possession of an improvised explosive device. Brendan Hope, aged 49, of Springfield Cottages, Mullingar, pleaded guilty to the charge relating to an IED discovered at St Matthews Park, Ballymahon, County Longford on 24 June 2015. Detective Sergeant William Hanrahan told the court that Hope was observed leaving a house under surveillance as part of an investigation into IRA activity in the Longford area. The device, containing shotgun propellant powder, a cartridge, cardboard tubing, and other components, was found in a van in which Hope was travelling. During interview, Hope initially claimed he had constructed the device out of curiosity before later stating he had found it. The court noted the crude nature of the device and accepted mitigating factors including Hope's guilty plea and time spent in custody. The sentence was backdated to 31 July 2015.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Westmeath man jailed for possession of IED. Charges or matters: possession of an improvised explosive device (IED) containing shotgun propellant powder, a 12-gauge shotgun cartridge, a 71mm length of cardboard tube, an igniferous fuse, clingfilm and a hair bobbin at St Matthews Park, Ballymahon, Co Longford on June 24th last year. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- June 24th Incident
- July 31st Hearing Or Sentence
- 2016-05-11 Publication
Why: He said that he had found the device in a laneway behind the house at St Matthew's Park five minutes before he left and that he had picked it up because he wanted to know what it was. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: possession of an improvised explosive device (IED) containing shotgun propellant powder, a 12-gauge shotgun cartridge, a 71mm length of cardboard tube, an igniferous fuse, clingfilm and a hair bobbin at St Matthews Park, Ballymahon, Co Longford on June 24th last year (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Hope was sentenced to three years in prison, backdated to July 31st last year.
Places mentioned
- The Special Criminal Court
- Mullingar
- St Matthews Park
- Ballymahon
- St Matthews Park
- St Matthew's Park
- and taken to Longford garda station
- Longford
Topics
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