A 32-year-old man from Larne has been sentenced to a total of 29 years after he worked with a Royal Marine to manufacture explosives which were then concealed in hides.
Dissident republican Niall Lehd from Seahill Road will serve 24 years in prison and a further five years on licence. He will also be subject to Terrorist Notification conditions for 30 years following release. Lehd pled guilty to one count of preparation of terrorist acts. He was arrested in 2016 after being implicated by ex-Marine Ciaran Maxwell.
Detective Chief Inspector Griffin said the charges relate to the discovery of a number of hides at Larne and surrounding areas between March and September 2016.
“Undoubtedly these finds amounted to one of the most significant seizures of munitions in recent years in Northern Ireland. The sheer volume of weapons and component parts found in these hides had the capability to cause serious harm. The length of this sentence demonstrates the consequences for anyone who gets involved in this type of offending which there is no place for in today’s society,” he said.
Detective Chief Inspector Griffin said he wanted to thank those who first alerted police to these hides.
“Today Northern Ireland is a safer place following the discovery of these hides. We will continue to work tirelessly to keep people safe and act on any information given to us by members of the public,” he added.