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THURSDAY 21/04/2005 13:44:04
Dublin man granted bail
A Dublin man facing a terrorist charge was freed on bail in the High Court in Belfast today.
But a judge ordered that £5,000 had to be lodged in court before Geoffrey Cooling could be released.
Cooling, 35, who is a claims investigator from Old Church Crescent, Dublin, was arrested in Armagh on April 7 after police found a radio frequency scanner in his car.
He was charged at Banbridge Magistrates Court with possessing a Uniden Bearcat hand-held scanning radio receiver contrary to the Terrorism Act 2000 and was remanded in custody.
At his bail application today, Crown lawyer David Hopley said police spotted two men talking to Cooling as he sat in his car at Moy Road, Armagh.
The men made off as police approached and when the car was searched the police found the scanner in the footwell.
Mr Hopley said the scanner was examined by a forensic scientist who reported that it was capable of scanning radio frequencies used by police, soldiers and
Ministry of Defence personnel.
He added that the scanner`s battery was flat but Cooling had the means to charge it in his car.
Lord Justice Sheil granted bail after being told that Cooling would reside near the border at Mullagh, Co Cavan, so that he could report twice a week to the PSNI.
Personal bail was set at £5,000 with two sureties of £5,000, one of which had to be a cash lodgement.
