New IRA: Dublin man's conviction over Shandon Park bomb quashed

A bomb was left under a police officer's car at Shandon Park golf club in June 2019

A Dublin man has had his conviction for IRA membership linked to an attempted bomb attack in Belfast quashed at the Irish Court of Appeal.

Robert O'Leary, 43, of Clancy Road, Finglas, was convicted at the Special Criminal Court in October 2020 and sentenced to three years in prison.

The used car dealer was found guilty of supplying a car used in a bomb attack on a police officer in east Belfast.

The device was discovered at Shandon Park Golf Club in June 2019.

It was made safe after the off-duty officer found it under his vehicle.

The original trial was told Mr O'Leary had supplied a Skoda Octavia car used by the New IRA when they planted the bomb.

However, it subsequently emerged that Mr O'Leary's defence team was not told the chief prosecution witness was a drug dealer.

The defence team claimed that the information would have impacted on the witness's credibility.

The Director of Public Prosecutions did not oppose their application and the Court of Appeal will decide if Mr O'Leary, who has been in jail for the past 15 months, should face a retrial. He was released on bail.

Court President Mr Justice Birmingham said the circumstances which led to the DPP deciding not to oppose an application to have a conviction overturned were "unusual" and the case should now be investigated.