A 59-year old man convicted by a jury of placing pipe bombs at playing fields used by the GAA in east Belfast was handed a three-year sentence. .
John Wilson, from Lower Braniel Road in Belfast, appeared for his sentencing via a video-link with HMP Maghaberry.
The sentence was imposed at Belfast Crown Court by Judge Gordon Kerr KC who divided the term equally between prison and licence.
As well as being convicted of possessing explosives in suspicious circumstances, the grandfather was also found guilty of three counts of attempting to intimidate members of the East Belfast GAA Club ‘unlawfully by force, threats, or menaces’ from attending or playing sports at Henry Jones Playing Fields in east Belfast.
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Judge Kerr said the incident was designed to “achieve a sectarian aim of stopping the GAA using public pitches.”
During the trial, the jury heard that all four charges dated back to August 5th, 2020.
On that date, a security alert at the sports ground in Castlereagh was sparked when a telephone call was made to the PSNI regarding devices left in the area.
Police recovered a number of items from cars parked at the sports ground which occurred two months after the East Belfast GAA club was founded.
The devices were found on the windscreens of two cars.
Following a police investigation, Wilson was arrested and a number of items, including duct tape and a mobile phone, were seized.
Examination of his phone revealed messages about the incident as well as an apparent grievance with the East Belfast GAA using the playing fields.
After the jury returned guilty verdicts in September, Wilson wept in court.
He was back in court on Wednesday via video-link, where the sentence was imposed.
Judge Kerr said he had read a victim impact statement from a founding member of the East Belfast GAA Club who outlined the fear he felt in the aftermath of the incident.
In his statement, he spoke of the incident being “motivated by hatred” and made him think if those responsible “ever felt ashamed of themselves.”
Regarding Wilson, Judge Kerr noted that he had a good working history, was a family-orientated man and that following the death of his partner he has “sought comfort in the church.”
Wilson’s defence barrister Rosemary Walsh spoke of a lack of sophistication and the absence of any intention to cause physical injuries.
Regarding the explosives charge, Judge Kerr said: “This was the deliberate use of an explosive device to cause fear and harm and distress to a section of members of the public in order to achieve a sectarian aim of stopping the GAA using public pitches.”
Judge Kerr imposed a three-year term.
