A FORMER dissident republican jailed for making explosives has won an appeal against a fresh sentence for smuggling drugs into prison.
Senior judges reduced Turlough McAllister's new term after being told he has now "turned his back on those still waging a campaign of violence and terror".
Mr Justice Colton held on Monday that the south Armagh man's efforts to rehabilitate himself and keep off drugs amounted to exceptional personal circumstances.
McAllister, a son of former Sinn Fein councillor Jim McAllister and once of Lisarraw Road in Crossmaglen, received a 12-year sentence in 2010 for grinding down fertiliser to be used in making pipe bombs.
The 42-year-old also admitted having shotgun cartridges and a handbook on how to make improvised munitions found in his home.
He was previously handed a suspended jail term after admitting throwing a petrol bomb at Crossmaglen PSNI station, setting fire only to his own shoes.
In September 2014, two weeks before he was due to be freed from Magilligan jail, he was searched on his return from a period of pre-release home leave.
Prison officers discovered sleeping tablets, stimulants and other pills with a combined value of £500 - but estimated to be worth up to five times as much behind bars.
Defence lawyers argued that his sentence of 16 months was manifestly excessive and failed to take into account McAllister's steps to rehabilitate himself.
The Court of Appeal heard that he is now narcotics-free and managed to secure a HGV licence and job prior to being sent back to jail.
Judges were also told McAllister has "turned his back on those still waging a campaign of violence and terror and destruction".
A defence barrister said: "He has put the dissidents behind him with a vengeance, and that takes some courage... particularly in the community he lives in."
Mr Justice Colton accepted a deterrent sentence was required for smuggling drugs into prison.
But allowing the appeal, he stressed the public interest in rehabilitating offenders.
"It's clear that in terms of personal mitigation there's much to commend the appellant," he said.
He confirmed McAllister's sentence is to be cut from 16 months to 12, half to be served in custody and half on licence.
