Man sentenced to 22 years for New IRA murder of Belfast prison officer Adrian Ismay - judge says killing was ‘perpetrated in pursuance of a twisted republican terrorist ideology’

Mr Ismay, a 52-year-old married father-of-three, died 11 days after suffering serious leg injuries when the Semtex bomb exploded underneath his van shortly after he had driven away from his east Belfast home.

The extremist group that styles itself as the “New IRA” claimed to have carried out the attack on the long-serving officer.

Mr Ismay was released from hospital after the blast on March 4 and had been making good progress, but he died unexpectedly less than two weeks later when a blood clot triggered a heart attack.

He had worked at Hydebank Wood Young Offenders’ Centre in south Belfast, where he trained new recruits to the Prison Service.

Mr Justice Gerry McAlinden told Belfast Crown Court while sentencing Christopher Robinson for the murder of prison officer Adrian Ismay: “The defendant played an important and integral role in planning and carrying out the terrorist operation which resulted in the death of Mr Ismay.”

Mr Justice McAlinden added: “His murder was perpetrated in pursuance of a twisted republican terrorist ideology.

“In our troubled society prison officers and police officers have been regularly targeted at home and off duty simply because in those environments they are deemed to be easier targets.

“In such circumstances the need for deterrence can be no less acute and obvious.

He said Mr Ismay was murdered by means of planting an improvised explosive device under his vehicle which was parked outside his house.