Patrick Brennan remanded after TNT explosives guilty plea

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

Patrick Brennan was remanded in custody at the Special Criminal Court on 30 January 2017. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding with Judge John O’Hagan and Judge Anne Ryan, remanded him until 6 February.

Brennan pleaded guilty to possessing four 400-gramme blocks of TNT and three electric explosive detonators. The offence occurred on 16 June 2016. The proceedings were reported on 30 January 2017.

The report said Brennan boarded a bus service to Derry at Busaras in Dublin, carrying a blue canvas bag. The bag was on the seat beside him when officers arrested him.

Detective Sergeant Padraig Boyce said four blocks of TNT and three detonators were found in the bag. He said the surrounding area was evacuated and the army was called.

Det Sgt Boyce told prosecution counsel Ronan Kennedy that he believed the explosives could have been used to construct six to eight car bombs. Although they were not armed, he said they were “lethally packaged” and could have been detonated by a static charge while being moved.

The report said Brennan had been jailed for four years in 2005 for IRA membership.

Diarmaid McGuinness SC, defending, said Brennan had diabetes and was registered blind because of his medical condition. He asked the court to take the guilty plea into account when sentencing. Brennan, who had 13 previous convictions, mostly for road traffic offences, accepted that any sentence would likely be severe, counsel said.