A Dublin electrician was convicted at the Special Criminal Court yesterday of having control of Semtex, guns and ammunition in Swords, Co Dublin, in 1997. The court found Padraig Steenson (36), single, of Leinster Avenue, North Strand, Dublin, guilty of the unlawful control of 22.5 kilogrammes of Semtex, 14 incendiary devices, eight time and power units and 13 detonators at Glasmore Park, Swords, Co Dublin on November 7th, 1997. He was also convicted of the unlawful control of an improvised pistol, an improvised machine pistol, an imitation revolver and 208 rounds of ammunition on the same date. Steenson was remanded in custody for sentencing on May 22nd next.
The court heard that Special Branch detectives who raided the home in Swords of Mr John Galvin, Steenson's uncle, found the explosives, arms and ammunition.
Mr Galvin, who was given a 10-year suspended sentence in 1998 for possession of the explosives, gave evidence that he had been asked by his nephew, the accused, to store the bags in his shed.