A CO LOUTH man who admitted conspiracy to cause an explosion outside a Co Armagh police station last year has been jailed for 11 years by the Special Criminal Court in Dublin.
David Murphy (30), Ashling Park, Cox’s Demesne, Dundalk, last month pleaded guilty to “unlawfully or maliciously” conspiring with others to cause an explosion likely to endanger life or cause serious harm to people or property contrary to the Explosives Act.
The father of two was charged with the offence last May following the attempted car bombing outside Crossmaglen police station in south Armagh on April 3rd last.
Det Supt Diarmuid O’Sullivan of the Special Detective Unit told the court that a car was abandoned on that date outside the Crossmaglen PSNI station at 10.41pm.
A man who telephoned the Samaritans in Newry, Co Down, at about the same time used the code word “barrackbuster” and said a bomb had been left outside the station.
A bomb disposal expert who examined the car saw two gas cylinders, wiring and a car battery.
Following a controlled explosion, the device was made safe. The gas cylinders were found to contain a mixture of petrol and paraffin and had initiators and a toggle switch fitted.
The court heard that Murphy had not driven the vehicle containing the device to Crossmaglen but had been present when it was fitted with the device and was the person who made the phone warning to the Samaritans.
Det Supt O’Sullivan agreed with Patrick Gageby SC, defending, that Murphy had a drink problem, adding that he had seven previous convictions for road traffic offences.
Mr Justice Paul Butler said yesterday that Murphy had pleaded guilty to a very serious offence which attracted a maximum sentence of 20 years. The court had reached the conclusion that the correct sentence was 11 years’ imprisonment, backdated to Murphy’s arrest on May 7th last year.