Brothers jailed over explosives find
TWO Mayo brothers who were caught making a bomb in their shed after armed gardai raided their family home were each sentenced to five and a half years in prison, with the final two and a half years suspended, by the Special Criminal Court yesterday (Thursday), writes Alison O'Riordan.
Last month, Colin Mannion (37) and his brother Brian Mannion (34), of Burriscarra, Clogher, Claremorris, pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of explosive substances RDX, PETN, one loaded detonator, two unloaded detonators and three electrical component parts at their home on June 9, 2012.
The brothers were also charged with membership of an unlawful organisation within the State, namely Oglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the Irish Republican Army, otherwise the IRA, on the same date. The State previously entered a nolle prosequi on each man’s charge of IRA membership.
Before handing down sentence, Mr. Justice Tony Hunt, presiding, sitting with Judge Martin Nolan and Judge Flann Brennan, read the facts of the case to the court.
He said Inspector Gary Walsh, Castlebar Garda Station, told the court that in May 2012 an investigation concerning the unlawful possession and manufacture of explosives in relation to IRA activity was undertaken by gardaí. Inspector Walsh entered the property on June 9 where he met with Denis Mannion, father of the accused, who gave him access to the premises.
The two accused men were found in the shed. A 'Jobox', which is a large type of metal container box, was found to contain items, including a funnel, one complete detonator, two incomplete detonators, a Tupperware lunch box which contained a white substance that was later analysed to be RDX and PETN, Bell Wire, a brush used to sweep explosives into detonators, an infrared electronic switch, a light sensitive electronic switch, coffee filters and white spirits.
The court previously heard that Colin Mannion is a qualified tool maker with some engineering experience and Brian Mannion is a qualified plumber.
“Thankfully, due to the intervention of gardaí, no harm resulted from these items but it is clear from the process that was underway, the finished article would have carried serious consequences. The conduct was intentional no doubt,” said Mr. Justice Hunt.
The judge said the court assessed that the appropriate sentence was eight years' imprisonment for each of the men. However, he said that there was evidence to lessen their culpability, including the fact that their involvement in this incident was for no more than two to three months and they had not been the 'initial target' of the surveillance operation.
Mitigation factors in sentencing, Mr. Justice Hunt said, were their guilty pleas and their family circumstances.
The judge noted that the men’s bail conditions had been 'relaxed' over the years and during this time each had applied themselves in a productive and law-abiding manner.
Colin Mannion and Brian Mannion do not have any relevant or serious criminal convictions, the judge stated, and there was evidence of 'positive good character prior to these offences'.
Mr. Justice Hunt sentenced each man to five and a half years in prison, with the final two and a half years suspended indefinitely on the basis of the sworn undertaking to refrain from activities in the future and not associate with members of subversive or paramilitary organisations.
The sentences were backdated to June 7, 2017.