A founder of a west Belfast sports club for boys was jailed for 4 1/2 years yesterday at the Crown Court for storing IRA arms. Paul McCullough was convicted of having a rifle and ammunition with intent after offering no defence.
A Crown lawyer said the AKM45 assault rifle and 28 bullets were found behind a skirting board when the RUC searched McCullough's home at Glenalina Road, Ballymurphy, on August 27th last year. At the time, McCullough said they had been put there by two men who claimed to be from the IRA, but he refused to answer further questions.
Defence counsel told the court that as a teenager McCullough had founded the Greater Ballymurphy Sports Club for boys between six and 14 years, and for the past 17 years had been a full-time voluntary community worker. "He was chosen to keep this weapon because he was the very last person the police or army would suspect," the lawyer said.