Marian McGlinchey: Old Bailey bomber gets suspended sentence

Old Bailey bomber Marian McGlinchey has been given a suspended sentence for aiding dissident republican terrorists.

In November, McGlinchey, also known as Marian Price, admitted providing a mobile phone used to claim responsibility for the Real IRA murders of two soldiers.

The charge was connected to the attack on Massereene Army barracks in 2009.

McGlinchey was sentenced to a year, suspended for three years. A judge said the risk of reoffending was low.

He also said that although she had a significant conviction for terrorism - the Old Bailey bombings in 1973 - McGlinchey's health was now "poor and deteriorating" and if she returned to prison she faced a significant risk of severe depression.

Sappers Mark Quinsey and Patrick Azimkar were shot dead as they collected a pizza delivery at the front of Massereene barracks in County Antrim.

Marian McGlinchey was pictured holding a speech for a masked man at a dissident republican rally in Londonderry

McGlinchey, 59, of Stockman's Avenue in west Belfast, pleaded guilty to buying a mobile phone that was used in several calls claiming responsibility for the Real IRA attack.

She also admitted aiding and abetting the addressing of a meeting to encourage support for terrorism.

The second charge related to a separate incident at a dissident republican rally in Londonderry in April 2011.

At the Easter commemoration rally in the City Cemetery, she was filmed holding a piece of paper for a masked man as he made a speech, during which he issued threats against Catholic police officers.

She was sentenced to a nine-month term for that offence, to run concurrently with the one-year term and suspended for three years.

In a statement, the police said: "Despite today's sentencing, and previous acquittals (over the Massereene attack), the investigation remains open.

"Police would appeal to anyone with any information about those involved in these murders to contact them.

"The tragic outcome of those events in March 2009 is that the Azimkar and Quinsey families are facing another year without their brothers and son. Anyone who knows anything about the murders or can assist in any way with the investigation should do the right thing and talk to police on 0845 600 8000."

Old Bailey attack

Forty years ago, McGlinchey was convicted along with her sister, Dolours Price, for their part in an IRA car bomb attack on London's Old Bailey courts.

One man died of heart attack and more than 200 people were injured in the 1973 bombing.

McGlinchey was released early from prison on licence, but her licence was revoked in May 2011.

She was returned to jail on the direction of the then Northern Ireland Secretary of State Owen Paterson, weeks after the dissident republican rally in Derry.