Two Cavan men charged in Special Criminal Court with ‘assisting IRA’

Two Cavan men appeared before the Special Criminal Court today on Tuesday charged with knowingly rendering assistance to the IRA two years ago. Desmond Smith (63) and Stephen Hamill (50) were both arrested on Tuesday morning by members of the Special Detective Unit (SDU).

Mr Smith with an address at Kilnavara Crescent in Co Cavan is charged with knowingly rendering assistance to an unlawful organisation, styling itself the Irish Republican Army, between March 13rd and 19th 2021.

Mr Hamill, of Willow Ridge, Gortnakesh, Co Cavan is charged with the same offence on February 16th and March 13th, 2021.

Detective Sergeant John Feeney, of the SDU, gave evidence of the arrest of Mr Hamill. The detective told State Solicitor Michael O’Donovan that at 8am on Tuesday, he arrested Mr Hamill on foot of the arrest warrant which was issued yesterday and explained to him that he was to be brought before the next sitting of the Special Criminal Court.

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Det Sgt Feeney said he met Mr Hamill in the precinct of the Special Criminal Court this morning, where he handed him a copy of the original charge sheet which was explained to him. Det Sgt Feeney said he explained the two charges in ordinary language to the accused man and cautioned him, to which he made no reply.

Detective Sergeant Ronan Judge, also of the SDU, told Mr O’Donovan that he arrested Mr Smith in Co Cavan this morning on foot of the warrant. The detective said he informed Mr Smith that he was to be brought before the next sitting of the Special Criminal Court where he would be charged with the offence for which he was arrested. The accused man made no reply after caution.

Det Sgt Judge said he met Mr Smith in the confines of the court this morning and handed him a copy of the charge sheet, which he read over and explained to him. The witness said he again cautioned the accused man and he made no reply to the single charge.

Books of evidence were served on the two men and they were remanded in custody with consent to bail until March 13th, when they will next appear before the three-judge court. Defence counsel Breffni Gordon BL, representing both men, told presiding judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt that he would be applying for legal aid on the next date.