Leading Derry dissident republican given conditional discharge for crossing border to get diesel
Derry dissident republican Thomas Ashe Mellon (48) of Rathmore Road in the city admitted a breach of the Anti-terrorism legislation by crossing the border to get diesel at Belleek
A judge at Derry Magistrate's Court today queried how would anyone know where the border was in some parts of the country.
His comments came in the case involving Derry dissident republican Thomas Ashe Mellon (48) of Rathmore Road in the city who admitted a breach of the Anti-terrorism legislation by crossing the border to get diesel at Belleek on November 2 last year.
A prosecution solicitor said that the defendant had crossed the border without permission, something he is prohibited from doing under the Anti-terrorism legislation.
Defence solicitor Paddy MacDermott said that the garage in question is half in the North and half in the South and that Mellon only realised he had crossed the border when he saw the prices in Euros.
The solicitor said that he immediately returned back after getting his diesel.
Judge McElholm said that it was cheaper to get fuel on this side of the border now.
He imposed a conditional discharge for a period of 12 months.