Appeal court reserves judgement in explosives case

The Court of Criminal Appeal has reserved judgement in an enlargement of time application brought by a Galway man who was jailed for five years at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin for possessing explosives and a gun.

Thomas Hughes of An Tuairin, Dublin Road, Tuam, had pleaded guilty to the possession of a 6mm Flobert calibre Alfa Proj model revolver without a relevant firearms certificate at his home on January 26, 2011.

The 40-year-old father-of-three also admitted the unlawful possession of an explosive substance, ammonium nitrate, at One Hundred Acres, Monivea, Athenry, on the same date.

Lawyers for Hughes this morning told the court that they seeking additional time to lodge an appeal against his conviction on foot of the Supreme Court ruling in the Damache case.