Two men jailed for nine years over explosives

Two men have been jailed for nine years by the Special Criminal Court for having bomb-making equipment at a Clondalkin apartment…

Two men have been jailed for nine years by the Special Criminal Court for having bomb-making equipment at a Clondalkin apartment two years ago.

Cormac Fitzpatrick (23), Cathedral Walk, Monaghan, and Terry McConnell (26), originally from Co Fermanagh but with an address at Tullymore Gardens, Andersontown, Belfast, were convicted last December of unlawfully possessing explosive materials at The Crescent, Park West Pointe, Clondalkin, Dublin, on September 9th, 2008.

Imposing the jail terms, the special three-judge non-jury court, with Mr Justice Paul Butler presiding, said the offence was of “a very serious nature” and both men had been caught “virtually red handed”.

The court said the sentence took into account that neither man had previous convictions and they had both been of good character prior to the incident.