Arms accused has bail plea rejected

A 53-year-old Belfast man accused of possessing firearms and explosives has failed in a bid to have his bail conditions relaxed.

Louis Joseph Liam McKenna, from Woodside Park in Dunmurry, is facing charges linked to the search of his home last January when a number of items were located in a roof cavity.

It is the Crown’s case that McKenna was “trusted” to look after the items by a third party.

McKenna, who is denying a charge of possessing a firearm and ammunition in suspicious circumstances as well as possessing explosives in suspicious circumstances, applied to have two conditions of his bail varied at Belfast Crown Court.

Sean McCann, his solicitor, asked that his client’s electronic tag be removed, and also asked for the existing 9pm to 7am curfew to be removed.

Addressing Crown concerns that McKenna may reoffend or flee, Mr McCann said his client was an alcoholic with a range of medical conditions who is “reliant” on the health service.

Mr McCann added: “There is nothing forensically which links anything in the roof space to him. He was a tenant for six or seven months before these things were discovered.”

After listening to submissions from both the Crown and defence, Judge Gordon Kerr QC refused the application.