Trainee barrister ‘manipulated’ into ‘driving bomb over Irish border’

A trainee barrister and a Dublin museum employee charged in connection with a car loaded with explosives that was bound for the Northern Irish border have been remanded in custody.

Isobella Perrie Sullivan, 25, of Clane in County Kildare, and Simon O’Donovan, 44, were charged with possession of explosives after police stopped a vehicle in Carrickmacross, close to the border, two days earlier.

Both are now being held after Sullivan’s bail application was delayed, while O’Donovan’s request for bail was denied.

Sullivan, a trainee barrister, appeared via video link at Monaghan District Court from the Dochas Centre women’s prison in Dublin on Monday morning.

She was arrested after Irish police, known as gardai, made an ‘extremely significant seizure’ of an explosive device from the car, which they said could have caused significant damage.

Her defence solicitor said she had been asked to take a bag to the north and had not been aware what was in it, adding she had been ‘manipulated’.

She was then granted bail with a host of conditions which included a 15,000-euro independent surety, that she surrenders her pᴀssport, stays at an address approved by Gardaí with a curfew of 9pm to 7am, has a mobile phone available 24/7 and signs in each day to Naas garda station.

Gardaí also requested another condition, that she not have any contact with anyone in the Saoradh political party or the New IRA.

But on Monday at Monaghan District Court, Judge Raymond Finnegan heard that her defence lawyer was not present in court and said she would be remanded with consent to bail.

Isobella Perrie Sullivan has been charged with possessing explosives after allegedly driving a car containing a viable explosive device towards the Irish border

Ms Sullivan graduated with a law degree from ATU Donegal in Letterkenny last year (pictured)

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Sullivan put to the judge: ‘I thought I was getting out today with bail.’

The judge said that he had not received an application to approve the surety.

A Garda officer told the court they are still making inquiries in terms of the surety.

She is next set to appear before Monaghan District Court on August 7.

Elsewhere, Irish museum employee Simon O’Donovan appeared before the Special Criminal Court on Saturday evening on the same charge, where his application for bail was refused over his alleged links to the New IRA.

O’Donovan, who represented himself at his first appearance, is alleged to have stored the device at Collins Barracks National Museum, and told the court that the refusal of his bail was ‘unfair’.

The 44-year-old appeared before the same court again on Monday wearing a Dublin Gaelic Athletic ᴀssociation top, where a judge heard he had not been in contact with his lawyer due to a solicitor’s strike.

Judge Patrick McGrath told the museum worker that his bail application to the High Court had been refused, and that the book of evidence would be served to him on the next court date on October 5.

‘I’d like to make an application for bail,’ Mr O’Donovan replied.

‘When?’ the judge asked.

‘At the closest possible chance,’ Mr O’Donovan said.

The judge said his solicitor had not attended the court ‘for whatever reason’ and that it was ‘clearly in your interest’ to be represented. O’Donovan was remanded meantime.

Earlier, Trim District Court heard that trainee barrister Sullivan was asked to take a bag across the border, and was unaware what was in it.

The vehicle was stopped on the N2 where Irish police (known as gardai) found a bag in the back containing a quanтιтy of the plastic explosive Semtex along with a detonator.

During a search of the vehicle, a bag was found in the back seat which contained Semtex and a detonator, the court heard.

It is understood that the device is the most sophisticated bomb seized by police since the Troubles.

Sullivan, reportedly known as Perrie, was a student at ATU Donegal in Letterkenny and graduated last year with a law degree.

Her solicitor, Gavin Booth, added that Sullivan, who lives with her father, had been ‘manipulated’ and that they are unable to comprehend this week’s events.

The court was told that Sullivan had a ‘life-limiting’ health condition that requires daily medication.

If she was granted bail, her parents would keep her on a ‘тιԍнт rein and ensure she abides by all conditions,’ Mr Booth said.

The court heard that Sullivan had a ‘life-limiting’ health condition tha

The trainee barrister pictured leaving Trim District Court on Friday evening after she was granted bail 

Gardai halted the alleged car bomb six miles from the Northern Irish border here in County Monaghan last Wednesday

Simon O’Donovan turns away from the camera as arrives at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin on Saturday

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly spoke to reporters during a graduation event on Friday

Responding to the granting of bail, Democratic Unionist Party leader Gavin Robinson claimed Ireland’s justice system has ‘serious questions to answer’.

He questioned the court’s decision and whether it appreciated ‘the gravity’ of the case. ‘The discovery of a viable Semtex bomb should have reminded everyone that dissident republican terrorism remains a lethal threat,’ he said in a statement.

‘The decision to grant bail will leave many people asking whether the justice system appreciates the gravity of that reality.’

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly confirmed details of the operation as he spoke to media at a Garda graduation event in Co Tipperary on Friday.

‘To be clear, what we found was an extremely significant seizure,’ he said. ‘So this was an explosive device.’

He added: ‘Any seizure of this nature is really concerning.’