Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.

An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.

A NATIONAL MUSEUM employee has told the Special Criminal Court that he wants to reapply for bail “at the earliest chance”, having already been denied release at the weekend, when he was charged with the possession of an explosive device in connection with the discovery of a bomb in a car in Co Monaghan last week.

The non-jury court remanded the accused man Simon O’Donovan in custody today, having heard that he remains unrepresented by a solicitor.

O’Donovan (44), with an address at Sperrin Road in Dublin 12 is charged that on 22 July last at St Laurence’s Road, Chapelizod, Dublin 10 he did knowingly have in his possession an explosive substance, to wit – an improvised device – under such circumstances as to give rise to a reasonable suspicion that he had not got it in his possession for a lawful object.

This offence is contrary to section 4 of the Explosive Substances Act 1883 as amended by section 15(4) of the Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act 1998.

When the case was mentioned before Mr Justice Patrick McGrath at the Special Criminal Court today, State solicitor Ciara Vibien said she was unsure if the accused man was legally represented but that she was seeking a date for service of the book of evidence.

On Saturday night defence solicitor Darragh Mackin, of Belfast-based firm Phoenix Law, informed the court that O’Donovan had asked him to act for him but he could not accept instructions due to the ongoing strike by criminal legal aid lawyers. Mackin said he was attending that evening’s sitting out of courtesy to the court.

When Mr Justice McGrath inquired of the accused man today whether he was represented, O’Donovan asked: “Is the strike still on for solicitors?”

The presiding judge said there had been solicitors present in court today representing other defendants.

State solicitor Vibien told the court that she had not received any correspondence from anyone.

Addressing the accused man, Mr Justice McGrath told him he was currently in custody, with his bail application having been refused on Saturday night.

The judge said the next stage of the process is having the book of evidence served on the defendant and this will be the next date he will appear before the Special Criminal Court.

“Have you been in touch with your solicitor?” asked the judge, to which O’Donovan replied: “Not since the last date I appeared here.”

“That’s surprising,” remarked Mr Justice McGrath.

The judge said he intended to remand the accused in custody until 5 October, when he would be served with the book of evidence. “It’s a matter for you, but it would be in your interest to have a solicitor engaged with this matter,” he told the accused.

Vibien told the three judges that the Special Criminal Court would not be sitting again until October due to the summer holiday and that the accused might wish to apply for bail again, given he had no legal representation on Saturday evening.

Mr Justice McGrath told the defendant that normally an accused can only apply for bail a second time due to a change of circumstances. “I can’t tie the hands of any other judge, but if you are represented another judge may consider that a change of circumstances”.

Vibien informed the court that the Special Criminal Court would have jurisdiction to hear a bail application if the matter came before it.

The judge told the accused that there was no difficulty if he wished to make a further application to the Special Criminal Court or the High Court.

“I would like to seek bail at the earliest chance,” said the accused man.

Mr Justice McGrath told O’Donovan it would clearly be in his interests to be legally represented if he wished to progress a further bail application, “given the nature of the objections” gardaí had to bail at the weekend.

The judge remanded the accused in custody until 5 October, telling him: “In the meantime it is a matter for you to decide what to do next”.

O’Donovan said he understood.

At a late-night bail application on Saturday evening, the High Court heard that O’Donovan is alleged to have stored the explosive device in the confines of the National Museum at Collins’ Barracks where he worked.

A Detective Sergeant said that if the device had detonated, it would have caused catastrophic damage.

Dgt Sgt Shane Noone said the accused had been captured on CCTV leaving his place of employment in the museum at Collins’ Barracks in Dublin 7 on 22 July last carrying a distinctive black holdall bag. He entered the War Memorial Gardens where he is alleged to have met Isobella Perrie Sullivan at 1.53pm.

The witness said the accused was observed showing Perrie Sullivan the contents of the bag before she took possession of it.

He said Perrie Sullivan then travelled from Dublin to Carrickmacross, where a distinctive black holdall bag was discovered in the rear of a vehicle containing an explosive device; 394g of military grade Semtex, a timer switch and a viable detonator.

Dgt Sgt Shane Noone said his belief was that if O’Donovan were released on bail, he would continue to engage in IRA operational activity and carry out the transportation of weapons, personnel and communications.

Should he be granted bail, the detective said O’Donovan may interfere with the investigative process by destroying evidence and interfering with witnesses.

The detective said he has a serious concern that the accused would interfere with and intimidate witnesses, particularly the staff at Collins’ Barracks.

On Friday evening, Isobella Perrie Sullivan (25), a law student, with an address at Abbeylands Park in Clane, Co Kildare, was charged with possession of explosives at a special sitting of Trim District Court in connection with the same investigation.

To embed this post, copy the code below on your site