Pipe bomber John Wilson asked loyalist Jamie Bryson to round up a gang to help him block playing fields being used by a GAA team.
The request, which was ignored, was touched on during Wilson’s trial but can now be revealed fully following his conviction for possessing explosives.
The 58-year-old broke down in tears after he was also found guilty on Friday of attempting to intimidate members of East Belfast GAA at Henry Jones Playing Fields in August 5, 2020.
In a message to Bryson the previous day, Wilson wrote: “Ok mate, I’ve had a running battle the past three or four weeks with the GAA up at Henry Jones. They have just took over and good people can’t even kick a ball with their kids.
“I don’t want to get myself into trouble and do something daft so I’m trying to get as many as I can to go up for a kickabout and get on the pitch before them. I’ve checked and they haven’t booked it so if you or anyone can send a few bodies it would be great. Thanks.”
Bryson did not respond. Challenged by Sunday Life about his relationship with Wilson, he said: “I have known John Wilson for more than 15 years. He was, and remains, a good man and has devoted himself to Christianity. I continue to regard him as a friend.
“I do not want to say anything in regards the evidence in case that may prejudice Mr Wilson’s appeal rights, should he choose to exercise them.
“However, it should be made plain that, as made evident in court, any contact with me was purely in relation to political lobbying and, as reported, he had also lobbied DUP junior minister Joanne Bunting.”
Jamie Bryson
In other messages revealed during the three-day trial, it emerged he had contacted Ms Bunting complaining about parking at the Henry Jones site and that East Belfast GAA had not booked the grounds properly.
It took a jury just five hours to convict the former nightclub bouncer of involvement in the pipe bomb plot that saw crude devices left on the car windows of players attending training sessions.
A prosecutor revealed: “They were the component parts to a bomb. These were crude devices and they would not have been effective if they detonated.
“The offences in this case were nakedly sectarian, which raises passions in Northern Ireland.”
John Wilson leaves Belfast Crown Court on bail ahead of sentencing after he was found guilty today (Credit: Alan Lewis)
The pipe bomb attacks were the culmination of an intimidation campaign against East Belfast GAA which also saw threatening graffiti sprayed close to the playing fields.
Messages found on Wilson’s social media also helped convict him, including one in which he answered “scum” to a comment about “Fenian lives matter”.
He also claimed that while walking his dogs at the playing fields he was ordered by a group of four men to make a warning call to police from a phone box “to say there was a bomb in the bin”.
Wilson added: “I just done what I was told.”
Under-cross examination the loyalist, with an address on the Lower Braniel Road in Belfast, denied being sectarian.
He said: “I have no problem with the GAA, in fact one of the guys I work with plays for East Belfast GAA and we are the best of friends.
“Some of my best friends are Catholics.”
Henry Jones Playing Fields
Wilson refused to come to the door when Sunday Life called to his home on Saturday.
East Belfast GAA was set up in May 2020 and has more than 400 members, many of whom are from the unionist and foreign national communities.
The club prides itself on inclusion and its badge features the Red Hand of Ulster, a shamrock and a thistle to represent different backgrounds joining together.
by heresmewhaa
16 comments
>Some of my best friends are Catholics
LMFAO!
Yeah, I usually try and intimidte my best friends also, with explosives, I assumed that was the norm!
Fucking loser
Going on a sectarian terror campaign is certainly an interesting way of devoting yourself to Christianity
That bit wasn’t in my sunday school catechism
I’ve known this good, Christian, man for 15 years, he’s a friend, but I’ll ghost him any chance I get.
Cryson is a fucking ssssssnake
‘Em feenyuns, can’t even book a pitch proper”
I get the impression Bryson is trying to distance himself from the Morons and play the long game. However considering the demographics, the long game isn’t an option and low level sticking plaster thuggery is all they have Left.
” a good Christian” must be the most overused defence in this part of the world.
Lets all just look past (select offence here) sectarianism / racism / domestic abuse / child abuse / hatred of immigrants because he’s a god fearing man who goes to church and is part in the community
God must be scundered of the second hand association with these pricks. It’s terrible PR.
Imagine being this sectarian in 2025.
It’s OK though, he’s a Christian, according to wee Seamie.
Being a Christian does not automatically exclude you from being a c*nt.
Fantastic example of the execution of the justice system though.
The tears on being found guilty of being a c*nt are particularly sweet.
May your Saviour, whose teachings you followed as a committed christian to place a pipe bomb at a place where children gather, also help protect your bum hole big lad. Enjoy!
***“I have known John Wilson for more than 15 years. He was, and remains, a good man and has devoted himself to Christianity. I continue to regard him as a friend.’*** *- BinBoy Bwyson*
Aye right Jamie … good Christians do this kinda thing every day, don’t they?
Quite a mild response from Jamie. Was expecting some invective about them trying to slur him – a reasonable response, perhaps, seeing as the guy just messages him and Bryson was wise enough not to respond. Bizarrely though, he is happy to provide a character reference and claim him as a friend – this pipe bomber!
Maybe he doesn’t want to fall out with the Tele. Given how excited he is when he gets one of his harebrained schemes picked up by them I think getting his name in the paper is basically his entire aim in life.
I’m not surprised that this bigoted scumbag contacted binlid and also contacted a member of the DUP (“…he had also lobbied DUP junior minister Joanne Bunting”).
“I have known John Wilson for more than 15 years. He was, and remains, a good man and has devoted himself to Christianity. I continue to regard him as a friend.”
That’s an insane statement. Binlid not only knows this individual for more than 15 years but he’s a “good man”, “friend” and a somehow a Christian?
Also, he has no problems with the GAA despite all his actions (terrorist and non-terrorist) clearly being sectarian related?
“Some of my best friends are Catholics.”
Hahaha, what a pile of utter bullshit. Get this scumbag in jail.
What will his prison sentence be? Any lawyers here willing to take a rough guess?
So he referred to catholics as scum publicly and placed a pipe bomb because his issue was with proper booking, right?
Can we please stop using “a good Christian man” to describe someone as though we’re supposed to take pause and think that he couldn’t possibly be an absolute cunt because he believes in a god.
I’m so fucking tired of it. Plenty of Christian’s are cunts. Some of the biggest, most hateful, most spiteful cunts I’ve ever met, actually. From now on, if I hear someone described as “a good Christian”, I’m going to assume that they’re homophobic, transphobic, racist cunts.
Could anyone explain how this man isn’t being charged with terrorist offences?
That “devoted to Christianity” really is beyond ridicule.
Choosing to raise my kids over the border will be one of the best gifts in life I ever give them. Leaving the economy/boring data etc out of it, it’s the same place only without the sectarianism/politics/identity crisis.
NI is still such a little mess in many ways.
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