Limerick man accused of having bomb convicted

A 30-year-old man, who was offered €10,000 to plant a bomb in Limerick city, has been convicted of explosive charges and possession of more than €35,000 worth of cocaine.

Sean Smith, Loughmore, Mungret, Co Limerick, was found guilty of six separate charges which included possession of an explosive device, possession of cortex detonating chord, and possession of a Sterling sub-machine gun for an unlawful purpose, all at Loughmore, Mungret, Co Limerick, on June 3 2003.

The father of one - who also has an address in Swinford Gardens, Brixton, London - was also convicted of three charges of possession of cocaine, worth €35,280 on the same date at the same location.

A jury of 10 men and 2 woman took just over three hours to return a unanimous guilty verdict at Limerick Circuit Court tonight.

Throughout the four-day trial Mr Smith denied all of the charges.

After his arrest Mr Smith told gardai he was offered €10,000 to plant a bomb in Limerick city, which was intended to hurt up to, eight people.

An English national, Mr Smith said he was told he would be shot by a man he named as ‘Skinny’ if he told gardaí about the bomb.

Mr Smith told gardaí that he "did not go around killing innocent people" and that he did not know who the bomb was intended for only that it would "hurt four to eight people".

At the opening of the trial the court heard that an explosive device, cortex detonating wire, a Sterling submachine gun, 294 rounds of ammunition and €35,280 worth of cocaine were found at a bungalow in Loughmore Mungret, Co Limerick where the accused man was living.

A Drugs Squad expert also told the jury that a "Press" capable of converting cocaine of high purity into rectangular bars or ‘nine bars’ with much lower purity was also seized during the raid.

Judge Carroll Moran adjourned sentencing until January 27 next.