Trial date set for man accused of having explosives on eve of Royal visit

The Special Criminal Court has set a date in December for the trial of a Longford man charged with having an explosive device on the eve of the state visit of Queen Elizabeth II of Britain last year.

Donal Billings (aged 60), of St Bridget’s Court, Drumlish, is charged with the unlawful possession of an improvised explosive device at Longford railway station car park on May 16, 2011.

He is also charged with the unlawful possession of a CZ model semi-automatic pistol and 52 rounds of ammunition at Drumlish on May 20, 2011.

In November last year, Mr Billings was further charged with four offences under the Criminal Law Act of 1976 of knowingly making false reports tending to show that an offence had been committed.

The charges are non scheduled offences – non terrorist offences - and the court was told that the Director of Public Prosecutions had certified that they should be brought in the Special Criminal Court.

Mr Billings was charged with making false reports at Longford Garda Station on May 16, 2011 that bombs had been placed at Busáras in Dublin and at Sinn Féin's headquarters.

He was also charged with making a false report at Longford Garda Station on May 18 that two mortars were set for Dublin Castle, and with making a false report on May 20 that two bombs had been placed in the toilets at Cork airport.

At today’s hearing, where matters were translated in to Irish at Mr Billings’ request, lawyers for the accused man said they wished to fix a date for a two-week trial.

Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, sitting with Judge Alison Lindsay and Judge Flannan Brennan, remanded Mr Billings on continuing bail until December 5, 2012 for trial.