Marine 'had 43 weapon hides' across NI and England

A Royal Marine from Northern Ireland who built explosives for an Irish republican paramilitary group had 43 hiding places, a court has heard.

Ciaran Maxwell stashed anti-personnel mines, mortars, ammunition and 14 pipe bombs - four of which were deployed - in purpose-built hides in Northern Ireland and England.

On the second day of his sentencing hearing the Old Bailey heard the 31-year-old used 43 hides in eight different locations.

Maxwell - who has an address at Exminster in Devon, but is originally from Larne in Co Antrim - pleaded guilty earlier this year to preparing for a terrorist attack between January 2011 and August 2016 by stashing explosives in purpose-built caches.

He was caught after the discovery of two dissident republican arms dumps in Larne.

The court on Thursday heard Maxwell had ordered chemicals and other parts over the internet for delivery to NI, with some delivered to his late grandmother’s address.

Prosecutor Richard Whittam QC said: “There is evidence of purchases he made by email being sent straight to Northern Ireland.

"Delivery of some of those chemicals and equipment, they went to that address of his late grandmother's.

“There is evidence he travelled to Northern Ireland by ferry. It looks as though some items must have been taken by him from England to Northern Ireland. For example, the bullets.

"There is concern he might have found it easier to travel between England and Northern Ireland because of the ID he would have had."

Mr Whittam said the serviceman, who appeared on Thursday via video-link, had apparently been motivated by "a connection with dissident Republicanism".

He said Maxwell had been attacked in 2002 and had a copy of a news report about the assault on his laptop.

Mr Whittam said: "It's a report in the Republican News from 11 July 2002. It's headed 'Sectarianism never sleeps in Larne'.

"This defendant, aged 16, being subject to a brutal attack with, as it's reported, iron bars and golf clubs and suffering a compound fracture of his skull.

"We know of nothing that traces this offending to that attack.

"But if it's urged in mitigation that any behaviour was as a result of this attack, my Lord would have to balance that to considering, if he was aggravated since 2002 did that influence his decision in joining (the Marines)?"

The hearing will continue on Friday, but sentencing is not expected until Monday.