A Fermanagh man awaiting sentence for a terrorist offence had his bail revoked on Wednesday.

Gabriel Paul Meehan is due to be sentenced next month on a charge of making a record of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.

The 45-year old, with an address of Meelmore Drive in Omagh, has admitted that on a date between March 15 and May 7, 2021 he recorded information "namely a handwritten note containing the vehicle registration mark of a serving member of the British Army, digital images of an improvised firearm and digital images of Enniskillen Police Station and the surrounding area".

A Crown application to revoke Meehan's bail was made at Belfast Crown Court following information contained in a pre-sentence report which detailed his lack of remorse and victim empathy.

He also expressed his continued support for dissident Republicanism to the Probation Officer who compiled the report, the contents of which were branded as "rather disturbing" by Mr. Justice O'Hara.

Prior to reaching his decision, the senior judge was addressed by defence barrister Joe Brolly, who asked for his client's bail to continue until May 24, when he is due to be sentenced for the offence.

Branding Meehan as "vulnerable" and "suggestable", Mr. Brolly said his client was granted bail in 2021 and that during the intervening period he has experienced psychiatric issues.

Mr. Brolly said this has resulted in medical assessments and that a psychiatric report is due to be compiled ahead of him being sentenced.

Saying Meehan will "probably need to be seen by a doctor again", Mr. Brolly said it would be easier to do this if Meehan was on bail as opposed to in custody.

The defence barrister told the court that at the time of offending, Meehan was a member of Republican Sinn Féin but no longer has anything to do with the group.

He said that since being granted bail, Meehan is "completely divorced from those influences" and has "no contact with old associates".

Mr. Brolly added that whilst on bail, Meehan has "complied religiously" with all the terms and conditions, has not re-offended and is now experiencing stability in his life.

Regarding the contents of the pre-sentence report, Mr. Brolly said Meehan - like many others - believes in a United Ireland.

Mr. Justice O'Hara told Mr. Brolly that Meehan has shown "zero remorse" for his offending.

He added and that in the pre-sentence report, Meehan "demonstrated no victim empathy and attempted to rationalise that individuals may be unintentionally harmed.

"He showed no remorse for his behaviour, asserted he doesn't believe he is guilty and that it isn't a criminal offence to be a Republican."

Mr. Justice O'Hara also said that the Probation Officer's view was that whilst Meehan accepted responsibility by pleading guilty, he does not believe his behaviour was wrong or illegal.

He told Mr. Brolly "that's the problem and that's the reason why the application was made to revoke bail."

Crown barrister Ciaran Murphy KC then spoke about the contents of the pre-sentence report which he said "evidences precisely the concern of the courts over many years about terrorist offences and the inability of defendants to change their ways".

He added: "On any reading of this report... it talks about his unpreparedness to explore what led to his involvement on top of the lack of remorse, his distain for the British Government, talk of the need for violence and casualties of war, and no victim empathy."

The victim, Mr. Murphy said, was the person whose vehicle registration was recorded and who was "caused serious concern by the material found".

Saying that as Meehan has now pleaded guilty to a terrorist offence, Mr. Murphy said it was the Crown's view that he presents a risk to the public and should no longer be at liberty.

Mr. Justice O'Hara said that whilst Meehan was initially granted bail pending a trial, his subsequent guilty plea meant the presumption of innocence "no longer applies".

He added that the pre-sentence report "includes a series of comments to the effect that far from being in any way remorseful, Mr. Meehan openly and with enthusiasm continues to support violence as a means to achieving a United Ireland".

Voicing concerns about the information collected by Meehan, his actions, his lack of remorse and his continuing support for "violent Republicanism", Mr. Justice O'Hara said the defendant "appears to pose a risk to the public".

He concluded: "In those circumstances, Mr. Meehan's bail is revoked."