Cork man and woman convicted of aiding terrorists

A Co Cork man and woman who stored guns and ammunition for the Real IRA were each given a five years suspended prison sentence by the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today.

The court sentenced Michelle O' Rourke and Brian McSweeney to five years imprisonment suspended for five years on condition that the two do not associate with known subversives.

Mr Justice Richard Johnson, presiding, said the offences "clearly challenge the security of the State".

But he said the court had taken into account the fact that the accused had pleaded guilty, had co-operated with gardaí and had given sworn undertakings not to associate with subversives in future.

O'Rourke (aged 23), the mother of a 10-month-old baby girl, of Rockview Terrace, Doneraile pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of an AK 47 assault rifle, a shotgun, a pistol, 119 shotgun cartridges and 126 rounds of ammuniiton at her home on a date unknown between July 1 and September 29, 2002.

McSweeney (aged 22), an apprentice electrician, of Coolowen, Blarney admitted having the guns and ammunition at Coolowen between September 28 and 29, 2002.

Detective Superintendent Tony Quilter told the court that O'Rourke and Mc Sweeney had kept the guns for a Real IRA unit in Cork.

O'Rourke had kept the weapons and ammunition at her home for two and a half months after she was asked to "stash stuff".

McSweeney had kept the guns and ammunition in the boot of his car before moving them to another location.