Republican dissident Gavin Coyle was sentenced to 10 years
PSNI officer Ronan Kerr was murdered
A dissident republican who admitted possessing a large cache of guns and explosives has been sentenced to 10 years.
Gavin Coyle (36) from Omagh, Co Tyrone, was arrested in 2011 when detectives investigating the murder of newly qualified policeman Ronan Kerr discovered the arms dump in a lock-up garage in the Tyrone town of Coalisland.
Items seized included semtex plastic explosive; four AK47 assault rifles, ammunition and magazines; a booster for an RPG rocket; three bomb timer units; a number of electronic incendiary devices; components of an improvised PRIG grenade; explosive powder and detonating cord.
Last year, Coyle, from Culmore Park, pleaded guilty to possession of explosives and firearms with intent to endanger life and membership of a proscribed organisation, namely the group that styles itself as the "new IRA".
Passing sentence at Belfast Crown Court, Judge Corinne Philpott said half of the 10-year term would be spent behind bars and the remainder on licence.
Coyle, dressed in a grey polo shirt and jeans, showed no emotion in the dock as the sentence was handed down.
Constable Kerr (25) was killed in April 2011 when a booby trap bomb exploded under his car outside his home in Omagh.
No-one has been convicted in connection with the attack, which was claimed by members of the new IRA.
As a Catholic and GAA enthusiast, Mr Kerr was apparently targeted as part of the dissident strategy to scare people from a nationalist background away from joining the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
Detectives investigating their colleague's death have widened the probe to include 16 other crimes blamed on gangs belonging to the dissident group, with the discovery of the Coalisland arms dump considered a significant element of the inquiry.
It was uncovered within days of the police officer's murder.
Coyle was forensically linked to the weapons store by footprint analysis.
(Press Association)