Skip to content

Two charged over bomb back in court as law student accused faces bail delay

Darran MarshallBBC News NI
News imagePA Media Isobella Perrie Sullivan, a woman wearing a pink hooded jacket, gets into a car following a court appearance. The hood is pulled up over her head and she is hiding her face behind her sleeve. PA Media
Isobella Perrie Sullivan, 25, pictured after a previous court hearing on Friday

A student and a museum employee charged in relation to a bomb intercepted in a car near the Irish border have been remanded in custody.

Isobella Perrie Sullivan, from Abbeylands Park in Clane, County Kildare, is charged in connection with a bomb find. She has faced a delay over her bail application while checks are made over a €15,000 (£12,800) independent surety.

She is accused of possession of explosives after the device was found in a car she was driving near Carrickmacross, County Monaghan last week.

Simon O'Donovan, 44, with an address at Sperrin Road in Drimnagh, appeared before the Special Criminal Court in Dublin on Monday.

News imagePhilip Fitzpatrick Garda officers and garda cars surround a small car on the roadside of the N2 near Carrickmacross. The officers are all wearing blue uniforms, but two are wearing yellow high-viz vests over their shirts. The boot of a hatchback vehicle behind them is open. Philip Fitzpatrick
The vehicle Isobella Perrie Sullivan was driving was intercepted on a section of the N2 near Carrickmacross last Wednesday

Twenty five-year-old Perrie Sullivan, who is a law student, appeared via video link from jail at a hearing of Monaghan District Court.

A detective sergeant told the court that gardaí (Irish police) were still making inquiries into her surety and she was further remanded in custody until 7 August.

During a previous hearing on Friday, a judge had granted consent to bail, provided that Perrie Sullivan complied with a number of conditions, including the surety.

On Monday morning, Judge Raymond Finnegan confirmed the court had received an email from her solicitor, who was not present in court.

However, no formal application to approve the surety was received by the court therefore he could not release her.

Asked if she understood the development, Perrie Sullivan said: "I thought I was getting released today with bail."

The surety application has been adjourned until Tuesday.

O'Donovan, 44, with an address at Sperrin Road in Drimnagh, appeared before the Special Criminal Court in Dublin at the weekend, charged with possession of an explosive substance at St Laurence's Road in Chapelizod on Wednesday 22 July.

On Monday, he appeared before the non-jury court again.

The judge told O'Donovan that he was in custody, his bail application to the High Court on Saturday was refused, and the book of evidence needs to be served to him on the next court date.

"We will simply remand the matter to October 5 for service of book of evidence," he added.

O'Donovan told the court he wants to reapply for bail.