Isobella Perrie Sullivan, a 25-year-old law student of Abbeylands Park, Clane, Co Kildare, appeared via videolink from the Dochas Centre before Monaghan District Court on Monday. She was charged with possession of explosives after a bomb was intercepted in a car near the Irish border. Her defence solicitor stated she had been asked to take a bag to the north and was unaware of its contents, adding that she had been "manipulated".
Judge Raymond Finnegan heard that her defence lawyer was not present in court. Ms Perrie Sullivan said to the judge: "I thought I was getting out today with bail." The judge responded that he had not received an application to approve the surety. A Garda officer informed the court that inquiries regarding the surety were ongoing. She had been granted bail on Friday with conditions including a €15,000 independent surety, surrender of passport, a curfew from 9pm to 7am, daily signing at Naas garda station, and a condition not to contact anyone associated with Saoradh or the New IRA. She was remanded with consent to bail and will next appear on August 7.
Second Suspect Remanded Until October
Simon O'Donovan, a 44-year-old employee at Collins Barracks museum of Sperrin Road, Drimnagh, appeared before the Special Criminal Court in Dublin on Monday. He is charged with possession of an explosive substance at St Laurence's Road, Chapelizod, on July 22. The court was told that his solicitor, Darragh Mackin of Phoenix Law, had not taken instructions due to a strike by solicitors over changes to criminal legal aid fees.
O'Donovan, wearing a Dublin GAA polo neck T-shirt, asked Judge Patrick McGrath if the solicitor's strike was still ongoing. The judge confirmed it was but noted that other solicitors were representing clients. A representative for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) said no correspondence had been received from anyone regarding O'Donovan. The judge informed O'Donovan that he was in custody, that his bail application to the High Court on Saturday was refused, and that the book of evidence needed to be served by the next court date.
When asked if he had been in contact with his solicitor, O'Donovan replied: "Not since the last day." The judge said: "Not surprising, but… We will simply remand the matter to October 5 for service of book of evidence." He added that it was "in your interest" to have a solicitor and that bail could only be applied for if there was a change in circumstances, noting that another judge "may well" consider having legal representation as such a change.
O'Donovan then expressed a desire to apply for bail: "I'd like to make an application for bail." When the judge asked "When?", he replied "At the closest possible chance." The DPP representative stated that the prosecution would have "no difficulty in that regard" if O'Donovan wanted to make another bail application. The judge advised him to contact a solicitor. The DPP representative also said they would provide O'Donovan with a copy of An Garda Síochána's objections to bail and asked that they be dealt with ahead of any potential bail hearing. O'Donovan was remanded in custody until October 5.
