A DERRY man has been given a suspended sentence after he admitted a charge of possessing explosives under suspicious circumstances after a quantity of fireworks were found in his flat.
Stephen Gill (27) of Kular Court, pleaded guilty to one charge of possessing the explosives n October 2 2013 when he appeared at Derry Crown Court.
The court was told that police had carried out a search of Gill's apartment in connection with another matter.
In a cupboard they found a large quantity of fireworks. They also found a container with a grey powder which they believed was taken from some fireworks.
When it was put to Gill at interview he replied: "It's fireworks for f*** sake."
When asked where he got the fireworks he replied "I don't know."
He also told police he knew nothing about the powder taken from the fireworks. When tested the powder was found to be consistent with having come from fireworks.
A balaclava, gloves and combat trousers were also found which Gill said he used for fishing.
A defence lawyere said the fireworks were found around Halloween and there was nothing sinister in that. He said the powder came from fireworks that had burst.
Judge Philip Babington said that what made this case serious was that the powder was the same as that used in pipe bombs.
Gill was sentenced to 12 months in prison suspended for 18 months.
