Sean McVeigh: Dissident jailed for 25 years for planting bomb under PSNI officer's car
Sean McVeigh was handed a 25-year jail term for the attempted murder of a police officer in Eglinton, Co Derry on June 18 2015 Sean McVeigh was handed a 25-year jail term for the attempted murder of a police officer in Eglinton, Co Derry on June 18 2015
Dissident republican Sean McVeigh has been sentenced to 25 years in jail for planting a bomb under the car of a PSNI officer in Co Derry in 2015.
Sean McVeigh (38), of Victoria Gardens in Lurgan, Co Armagh, was convicted earlier this month of the attempted murder of the off-duty officer.
He was also found guilty at his non-jury trial at Belfast Crown Court of possessing explosives with intent to endanger life.
The murder bid was foiled when the PSNI officer's wife raised the alarm at their home in the Eglinton area of Co Derry in the early hours of June 18 2015.
McVeigh was arrested by gardaí in Co Donegal following a car chase a short time later.
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Forensics examine the scene where a bomb was found under the car of a serving PSNI officer in Eglinton village on the outskirts of Derry in 2015. Forensics examine the scene where a bomb was found under the car of a serving PSNI officer in Eglinton village on the outskirts of Derry in 2015.
Judge Stephen Fowler described McVeigh as a "committed dissident republican terrorist" who had planted a device which had "one purpose, to kill anyone unfortunate enough to be in the car".
The judge said there were two potential victims - the PSNI officer and his wife who is also a police officer.
He said it was "entirely fortuitous" that the planting of the bomb was disrupted and that both could have been in the car, and added that given the car was parked in a residential area there could easily have been multiple deaths.
"I have no doubt this was a terrifying ordeal for both officers," Judge Fowler said.
Police and forensic officers at the scene where a bomb was found under the car of a serving PSNI officer in Eglinton in 2015 Police and forensic officers at the scene where a bomb was found under the car of a serving PSNI officer in Eglinton in 2015 Police and forensic officers at the scene where a bomb was found under the car of a serving PSNI officer in Eglinton in 2015 Police and forensic officers at the scene where a bomb was found under the car of a serving PSNI officer in Eglinton in 2015 Police and forensic officers at the scene where a bomb was found under the car of a serving PSNI officer in Eglinton in 2015 Police and forensic officers at the scene where a bomb was found under the car of a serving PSNI officer in Eglinton in 2015 Police and forensic officers at the scene where a bomb was found under the car of a serving PSNI officer in Eglinton in 2015 Police and forensic officers at the scene where a bomb was found under the car of a serving PSNI officer in Eglinton in 2015 Police and forensic officers at the scene where a bomb was found under the car of a serving PSNI officer in Eglinton in 2015 Police and forensic officers at the scene where a bomb was found under the car of a serving PSNI officer in Eglinton in 2015 Police and forensic officers at the scene where a bomb was found under the car of a serving PSNI officer in Eglinton in 2015 Police and forensic officers at the scene where a bomb was found under the car of a serving PSNI officer in Eglinton in 2015 Police and forensic officers at the scene where a bomb was found under the car of a serving PSNI officer in Eglinton in 2015 Police and forensic officers at the scene where a bomb was found under the car of a serving PSNI officer in Eglinton in 2015
