Martin McHale found guilty of IRA membership

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

Martin McHale was found guilty of IRA membership at the Special Criminal Court. The proceedings were reported on 22 February 2017.

He had pleaded not guilty. The charge was membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA, on 2 November 2013.

Gardaí found ten 50kg bags of ammonium-nitrate-based fertiliser in a van in Monaghan. McHale told gardaí he had borrowed a friend’s van to go to Monaghan for a drinking session and did not know the fertiliser was in the rear.

Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy said the three-judge court was satisfied that the prosecution had proved McHale’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt. She said the court was satisfied he knew the contents of the van. His account of borrowing it for a spin to Monaghan lacked credibility, as did his explanation for not using his own car, which was roadworthy and had a valid NCT.

The judge said McHale had failed to answer material questions about the van’s owner. He had said he did not want to get his friend into trouble, but she said that reason was irrelevant: he had been fully advised of the consequences of failing to answer and had legal advice.

McHale was remanded on continuing bail to return to court on 6 March for sentence.