09/12/2005

McKevitt sentencing appeal dismissed

Michael McKevitt, jailed for 20-years on directing terrorism charges by Dublin's Special Criminal Court, has lost an appeal against the sentence.

McKevitt, the first person to be charged under new terrorist legislation brought in after the Omagh bombing in August 1998, had sought to appeal the sentence and challenge various evidence presented against him during the trial.

However, the Court of Criminal Appeal rejected the legal challenge and dismissed the legal challenge against the credibility of certain evidence in the original case.

The Court of Criminal Appeal ruling found that the Special Criminal Court was correct in its judgement that evidence presented by David Rupert was acceptable in the case.

The Court further ruled that all requirements relating to the disclosure of documents has been properly met with during the trial at the Special Criminal Court.

(SP/GB)

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