Men who admitted making bomb calls to Sinn Féin homes avoid jail – The Irish News

Two men who admitted making hoax bomb calls to the homes of senior Sinn Féin members have avoided jail.

Finton Geraghty and Christopher Maxwell received an enhanced joint sentence of 100 hours unpaid work and three years probation.

Geraghty (46), from Ivy Hill in Lisburn, Co Antrim, pleaded guilty to a charge of giving a false bomb warning to a priest.

The devices were alleged to have been present in the homes of Sinn Féin MP John Finucane and councilor Shonna Walsh.

Co-accused Maxwell (47), from Blackstaff Mews in Belfast, pleaded guilty to a similar offence.

A member of staff at the Sinn Féin office at Connolly House on Falls Road was told about the device.

Maxwell also pleaded guilty to publishing an article causing false information about the Connolly House bombing.

The pair also pleaded guilty to charges of passing false information to a PSNI operator that the device was present at the Avoniel leisure center in east Belfast.

Judge Gordon Kerr K.S. said that although he was dealing with serious offenses that would normally carry a prison sentence, the prosecution said “no catastrophic offending” had occurred.

He noted that Maxwell had a “horrific record of over 230 previous criminal convictions, but there is nothing of this sinister or terrorist nature in his record.”

The judge said Geraghty was in breach of a suspended sentence at the time of the offence.

Imposing an extended joinder order, Judge Kerr said both defendants were equally guilty.