A WEXFORD man who constructed a timer for an explosive device while on bail months after gardaí uncovered a huge cache of explosive components in a shed at his parents’ home has been jailed for 12 years at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin.
Nicholas Kendall (21) of Rowe Street, Wexford, had pleaded guilty to nine counts relating to the unlawful possession of a variety of explosive substances.
Gardaí uncovered the cache after simultaneous raids on his parents’ home at Springcrest, Keelogues, Barntown, Co Wexford, and a house at Cortown, Togher, Dunleer, Co Louth, on October 8th, 2010.
Kendall also pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of a component part of a timing power unit designed for initiating an explosive device, found at his parents’ home while he was on bail for the previous offences on February 18th, 2011.
Counsel for the defendant, Patrick Gageby SC, told the court that there was evidence that Kendall may have been “groomed” and influenced by an older man to partake in the offences.
He asked the court to bear in mind Kendall’s youth, his plea of guilty, his lack of previous convictions and evidence from his family that he would continue to have their support upon his release from prison.
Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding, said this was a “tragic case” involving a very young man with no previous convictions but one that nevertheless had to be regarded with the utmost seriousness given the “very large cache of lethal goods”.
He was sentenced to six years for the offences committed on October 8th, 2010. For possession of a timing power unit in February, while on bail, the court found the appropriate term was a consecutive six-year sentence.