Stone Stormont assault ‘impossible’
Michael Stone knew any attempt to assassinate Sinn Fein leaders Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness was impossible during his lone assault on Stormont, the Court of Appeal has heard.
The one-time paramilitary icon’s own lawyers instead claimed his thwarted bid to get into Parliament Buildings was the action of “a sad attention-seeker out of touch with reality”.
Stone, 54, is seeking to overturn his convictions for trying to murder Mr Adams and Mr McGuinness in November 2006.
‘Attention seeker’
His barrister acknowledged defence claims that it was an act of performance art may seem “laughable”.
But Orlando Pownall QC stressed the frail physical condition of Stone, who now suffers from motor neuropathy and was said to have taken two hours to make the mile-long walk from the gates of Stormont.
Stone tried to enter Stormont on the day Ian Paisley and Mr McGuinness were due to be nominated as Northern Ireland’s First and Deputy First Ministers.
He was armed with knives, an axe, garrotte and a flight bag containing explosive fireworks, flammable liquids, a butane gas canister and fuses.
His trial heard he pointed an imitation gun at a security guard and tried to ignite the bag before throwing it from him.
Stone was jailed for 16 years for the attempted murders and other offences including possession of weapons and explosives.
Dressed in a denim jacket and shirt, and flanked by prison guards, he hobbled into court to hear his legal team set out the grounds of appeal.
Judges heard he had put on make-up and dyed his hair before travelling to Stormont.
When wrestled to the ground by guards at the entrance to Parliament Buildings he was cursing and shouting about Sinn Fein and Mr Paisley, and later made it clear his intention was to assassinate Mr Adams and Mr McGuinness, the court heard.
But Mr Pownall instead agreed with an assessment of Stone’s actions reportedly made by Northern Ireland’s Chief Constable at the time.
He said: “We submit that the opinion, whether expressed by Sir Hugh Orde or not, accurately described the position – a sad attention seeker out of touch with reality.”
Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan, sitting with Lord Justices Higgins and Girvan, reserved judgment in the appeal.
