Judgement has been reserved in a bail application by Northern Ireland’s “longest serving remand prisoner’'.
Belfast Crown Court heard Co Armagh defendant Shea Reynolds has spent six years on remand for two sets of dissident republican terrorism offences.
Mounting a bail application defence solicitor Peter Corrigan of Phoenix Law said Reynolds (31), formerly of Kilwilkie Road in Lurgan, was currently on trial for offences dating back almost nine years ago.
Reynolds was one of a number of men arrested in Lurgan in September 2016 and charged with being part of a terrorist plot following the discovery of an improvised explosive device.
He denies charges of preparing terrorist acts, possessing articles for use in terrorism and collecting information on a former PSNI officer.
Mr Corrigan told Mr Justice O’Hara: “The defendant has served six years in custody. He was on remand from 2016 to 2018 for the trial offences.
“From August 2020 until now he has been on remand for offences he hasn’t even been convicted of.’’
Those offences relate to ‘Operation Arbacia’, a covert MI5 operation surveillance operation against leadership meetings of the New IRA.
Reynolds has been charged with directing a terrorist organisation, belonging to a terrorist organisation, possessing articles for use in terrorism and possessing firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life.
Mr Corrigan added: “He is the longest serving remand prisoner in this jurisdiction. His youngest son is four years of age and he has never met him outside of prison.
The solicitor referred the court to a previous bail ruling by Mr Justice Humphries in the case of Mandy Duffy, also known as Amanda McCabe, a co-accused of Reynolds in the ‘Operation Arbacia’ case.
He granted the grandmother bail under stringent conditions after citing the period on remand, her clear record and family circumstances.
“The delay in that (Duffy) case was three years. In this present case we are actually double that”, said the solicitor.
“We would request that the court invoke all those stringent conditions to manage any risk. We don’t see any risk.
“The defendant has been in custody for a lengthy period of time.
“He is completing a law degree and has obtained distinctions in his modules.’’
He told the court there was no prospect of a trial in relation to the ‘Operation Arbacia’ charges “for a considerable period of time’'.
“The defendant is no longer in a romantic relationship with the mother of their three sons but they are co-parenting the children.’’
Mr Corrigan said if granted bail Reynolds could reside with his mother, who lived near his ex-partner and their children.
He told the court Reynolds had previously been granted bail in 2018 and given compassionate bail in 2023 without issue.
A prosecution lawyer objected to Reynolds being released, saying he could be distinguished from other applicants granted bail over ‘Operation Arbacia’.
“Mr Reynolds was on bail for very serious terrorist offences when the offences in ‘Operation Arbacia’ were allegedly committed,’’ said the prosecution lawyer.
“In the first set of charges for which he is currently on trial, he was clearly a trusted part of the New IRA system.
“By the time we get to ‘Operation Arbacia’, he is now the ‘OC’ (Officer Commanding) in Lurgan and a member of the ‘Army Executive’.
“What is concerning is that he has risen through the ranks while on bail.’’
She said a number of the co-accused in ‘Operation Arbacia’ have “previous significant convictions’'.
But she outlined in some of those cases “significant cash sureties’ ranging from £10,000 to £30,000 were posted, but no cash surety has been offered by Reynolds.
The court heard when Reynolds was released on bail in 2018, one of the conditions imposed was not to be within 800 metres of any gathering, rally or protest involving dissident republicans.
“Not only were there alleged further offences he breached that specific condition.’’
She said any address in Lurgan was opposed as Reynolds was the ‘OC’ in that area which “significantly increases the risk’'.
Reserving judgement, Mr Justice O’Hara said: “I will give my ruling on this application within the next fortnight”.