A Dundalk man has a received a six-year sentence at the Special Criminal Court for having explosives components on the M1 motorway last year.
Gerard Carroll (21), of Ashling Park, Cox’s Demesne, Dundalk, Co Louth admitted the unlawful possession of explosive substances, namely a “modified 24 volt battery operated hand tool” at Junction 17 of the M1 motorway in Dundalk on July 9th last year.
The father-of-one was one of five men arrested by armed gardaí during an operation against dissident republicans in the Louth and Monaghan areas.
Presiding judge Mr Justice Paul Butler, sitting with Judge Alison Lindsay and Judge Flannan Brennan, said it was tragic that such a young person and his family had been affected by the affair but said the court took a serious view of such offences.
Mr Justice Butler said the court would impose a six-year sentence but suspend the last two years, having regard to Carroll’s young age, his lack of previous convictions and an undertaking given by him to desist from any future criminal activity.
The court heard how Carroll was intercepted by armed detectives as he drove north on the M1 motorway in a stolen Renault Megane car placed under surveillance by gardaí.
Det Insp Anthony Lenihan told Garnet Orange BL, prosecuting, that a small trigger-operated power drill, which had been modified to deliver an electrical charge, was found on the passenger seat of the car.
He agreed with Mr Orange that a ballistics report detailed how a similar modified power tool, found in the same jurisdiction within the last year, was associated with an improvised explosive device.
Det Inspector Lenihan agreed with counsel for the defence, Iseult O’Malley SC, that Carroll was wearing double gloves and had put vaseline in his hair as he believed he was moving a stolen car and was told this would prevent the transfer of forensic evidence.
He agreed that Carroll had not attempted to hide the modified drill, despite telling gardaí that he had suspected it had something to do with explosives.
Det Insp Lenihan agreed with Ms O’Malley that Carroll was not a member of any dissident republican group and was not involved in the planning of the operation.