Desmond Smith and Stephen Hamill admit IRA assistance

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Desmond Smith and Stephen Hamill pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to knowingly rendering assistance to an organisation styling itself the IRA in the furtherance of an unlawful object. Hamill’s plea concerned an offence on 13 March 2021. The proceedings were reported on 17 July 2024.

Smith pleaded guilty at an arraignment on 10 April 2024. The July report said his offence occurred on 18 March 2021 and involved holding a mobile phone.

At the sentencing hearing on 17 July 2024, Detective Garda Sergeant Ronan Judge described calls to media outlets from people claiming to represent the Continuity IRA, including a claim that shots had been fired at Enniskillen police station. He said an improvised “slam gun” was found near the station on 17 March 2021.

The detective said Hamill had bought telescopic pipes similar to those used in the device. Hamill admitted buying the pipes and SIM cards. A handset used in some calls was found at Smith’s home; Smith told gardaí he had found it when the county council was clearing hedges near his house. The report clarified that Smith did not buy the SIM cards.

Both men pledged to disassociate themselves from criminal organisations and republican paramilitaries. Their lawyers sought non-custodial sentences. Mr Justice Tony Hunt adjourned sentencing until 14 October 2024.