Woman, 25, charged with transporting New IRA explosives had 'Semtex and detonator', court hears

Isobella Perrie Sullivan, from Abbeylands Park in Clane, Co Kildare, appeared before Judge Raymond Finnegan for a special sitting in Trim, Co Meath on Friday evening

Isobella Perrie Sullivan leaving after she appeared before a special sitting of Trim District Court in Co Meath on Friday evening after a bomb was intercepted in a car near the Irish border. Photo: Damien Eagers/PA Wire

A law student has been charged with possession of explosives at Trim District Court in relation to the interception of a suspected New IRA bomb transport across the border this week.

Isobella Perrie Sullivan, aged 25, from Abbeylands Park in Clane, Co Kildare, appeared before Judge Raymond Finnegan for a special sitting in Trim, Co Meath on Friday evening.

The Special Detective Unit gave evidence of arrest, charge, and caution on Friday at 5.40pm.

The court heard Ms Perrie Sullivan was arrested at a petrol station at Carrickmacross on Wednesday at 3.05pm on suspicion of being engaged in New IRA operational activity.

The car she was driving was stopped and searched, and a bag was located in the rear seat, which was believed to be a suspicious device, the court was told.

A further search showed it contained an explosive device which included a timing power unit, Semtex, and a detonator which the court heard had the "potential to cause catastrophic damage to property and loss of life".

The area was evacuated, and she was arrested and brought to Dundalk garda station.

Dressed in a light purple top, Ms Perrie Sullivan sat in the dock staring ahead during the 30-minute hearing.

She is represented by solicitor Gavin Booth from Phoenix Law in the north of Ireland.

The court heard Ms Perrie Sullivan was charged under caution at Dundalk garda station on Friday evening, where she gave no reply to the charges put to her.

Gardaí objected to bail on the grounds that they believed she would continue in IRA activity.

The court was told Ms Perrie Sullivan has a life-limiting illness and concerns were raised for her medical needs, which require medication to be flown into the north of Ireland.

Her solicitor told the court she required daily medication and had special dietary requirements and if she did not receive these, “she could die”.

Mr Booth told the court her mother is from Mayo and Ms Perrie Sullivan lives in Kildare with her father. He said her family were “devastated” and that she had been a member of a political group in the past, and spent two years in Syria.

She had “moved away” from politics and believed studying to be a barrister would be a better way to serve the public.

The court heard she came to the attention of the police and the courts in the North during a march at Maghaberry prison during covid-19 over the conditions of prisoners at the time.

She was also before the courts in the north over assaulting a police officer.

Mr Booth said she had been manipulated by older people who had asked her to carry a bag for her and there was no evidence that she had opened the bag or knew what was in it.

Mr Booth said her family had to leave medication at Dundalk gardaí station for her today, because “if she doesn’t receive it, her body could go into shock and she could die”.

He said she carries a medical card and a doctor who examined her in Dundalk said he does not have the medication for her in this jurisdiction.

The court heard Ms Perrie Sullivan is training to be a barrister and she is due to sit her exams. Her notes were on the back seat of the car she was driving when arrested.

The court was told that the student was asked to take a bag and was in “fear of her life” by the person who asked her to carry it.

Mr Booth said his client was “unaware it was a device” and that is the account she gave the gardaí.

He said: “She never would have taken a bomb – had she known, she wouldn’t have been so careless” 

Gardaí told the court they believe Ms Perrie Sullivan "fully knew what was in the bag, what it was, and where it was going”.

Investigations are ongoing, and another man is also in custody being questioned about the incident.

Gardai objected to bail. However, she was granted bail by Judge Finnegan on strict conditions.

One of the conditions of her bail is that she surrender her passport, sign on daily at Naas garda station from 9am to 7pm, and observe a strict curfew 9pm to 7am.

A €15,000 independent surety was to be lodged in a bank account and frozen.

She has been remanded in custody until the bail conditions are met, and she is due to appear before Monaghan District Court on Monday.