Man convicted for possession of bomb at petrol station

A Dublin man has been convicted by the Special Criminal Court of having a pipe bomb at a filling station in Co Waterford last year.

Samuel Devlin (aged 51), of Mountjoy Square, had pleaded not guilty to the unlawful possession of an improvised explosive device at the TOP garage, Butlerstown Roundabout, Cork Road, Waterford on October 15 last year.

The court heard that Devlin and another man were placed under surveillance as part of a garda investigation in to the activities of an unlawful organisation in the South East.

Devlin was a passenger in a silver Hyundai Atoz car which was observed driving to Waterford from Dublin and entering the May Park housing estate in Waterford city for a period of time.

After the two men stopped at a TOP garage to refuel, Devlin got out of the car and opened the boot.

Gardaí then approached the car, conducted a search and uncovered a pipe bomb and a number of components in a rucksack in the boot.

Devlin was subsequently detained by gardaí while the garage forecourt and a section of the Cork Road were sealed off to allow Army bomb disposal experts carry out a controlled explosion and make safe the device.

Mr Justice John Mc Menamin, presiding at the three-judge non-jury court, said that the court was satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that Devlin was in possession of the pipe bomb at the time oif his arrest by gardai at the TOP garage.

The judge said that the court accepted that items found on the accused including a box cutting knife, insulating tape and gloves were corroboration that Devlin was in possession of the pi[pe bomb.

The court remanded Devlin in custody for sentencing on July 21 next.