A father and son accused of having an arsenal of weaponry found in a south Armagh bunker must remain in custody, a High Court judge has ruled.
Mr Justice Fowler allowed a prosecution appeal against 59-year-old Danny O’Callaghan, and Joseph O’Callaghan (32) being granted bail on charges linked to the guns and ammunition discovered by police last year.
He said: “These are without doubt highly lethal weapons, in the wrong hands they would cause very significant injuries and potentially death.”
The defendants were arrested as part of an investigation into the haul discovered during intelligence-led searches on October 30 last year.
Inside the bunker built near land owned by Danny O’Callaghan, of Monog Road in Crossmaglen, police discovered a large container set into concrete, a court previously heard.
Among the contents of the bunker were two sawn-off shotguns, a pump-action rifle, a Glock pistol and approximately 2,000 rounds of ammunition - including some capable of piercing armour.
The firearms, bullets and accompanying gloves and balaclavas were sealed in plastic.
Prosecutors claimed the cache had been divided into packages for potential operational use in shootings.
Danny O’Callaghan and his son Joseph, of Hillcrest Way in Bessbrook, are allegedly linked to the guns by DNA evidence.
They are jointly charged with possessing firearms and ammunition in suspicious circumstances and with intent.
Defence lawyers argued that they faced a weak case, based on a historic arms dump they knew nothing about.
Last Friday a District Judge decided the two co-accused could be released on bail under strict conditions.
However, that determination was reversed at the High Court on Monday.
Mr Justice Fowler held that a prima facie had been established against the defendants.
Denying bail, he stated: “In my view, there is a significant risk of further offending given the professional nature of how all of these matters were stored.”
