Man jailed for bomb threats during Queen's 2011 Dublin visit

Donal Billings, 66, faced one explosives charge related to the discovery of a bomb on a Dublin-bound bus that was stopped west of the city at Maynooth in May 2011, the night before the monarch arrived.

He also faced four additional charges of making hoax threats related to devices supposedly placed at Dublin Castle – where the Queen was hosted at a state banquet – a Sinn Fein office in Dublin, a bus station in Dublin and Cork airport.

Billings, from St Bridget’s Court, Drumlish, Co Longford, claimed two mortars at the castle would detonate at the time of the dinner. Nothing untoward was found.

The explosive device was discovered in a holdall in the luggage compartment of the bus when it was checked in Maynooth, Co Kildare. It comprised a firework timer switch, a copper pipe stuffed with gun powder and a plastic bottle of petrol.

Billings, a lone wolf with no known links to dissident groups, was accused of placing it on the bus when it stopped at Longford Railway Station.

There were 31 people on board when it was stopped by Irish gardai at Maynooth. It was intercepted following a bomb warning called in by Billings. The Garda launched a huge security operation in and around Dublin for the Queen’s visit.

Billings was found guilty of all five charges in the non-jury Special Criminal Court in Dublin in October.

He was caught after gardai traced phone records and SIM cards.