Bail application told guns, explosives and drugs were found during Derry flat search

Grenades found in a house in Derry were similar to ones used in an attack in Manchester that left two police officers dead Derry Magistrate’s Court was told today.
The revelation came during a bail application by 29 year old Gary McPhillips of 34, Hawkin Street in the city who is charged with possessing weapons, ammunition and explosives in suspicious circumstances and also possessing class a and class b controlled drugs with intent to supply on December 20 last year.
Opposing bail, a police officer said that a box was found in the roof space of a house where McPhilips had a room on the top floor.
In that box were found grenades, a home made machine gun, a handgun, a Taser and CS gas.
Drugs, valued in the region of £20,000, were allegedly found in the flat.
McPhilips was said to have admitted possessing the drugs but denied intent to supply.
As regards the weapons the officer said that they were contained in a green box and in May this year a search of McPhilips’ mother’s house turned up two similar boxes.
It was claimed that McPhilips had previous convictions but here and abroad and also that text messages suggested he was still involved in drugs.
The police opposed bail on the grounds that McPhillips would re-offend and also that he might not turn up for trial.
Defence counsel Mr. Stephen Mooney said that in the past McPhillips had turned up and there was nothing to suggest otherwise.
District Judge Barney McElholm adjourned the bail application until November 4 pending an ouotstsndingh forensic report.