A pregnant woman was led in tears from a Belfast court to prison yesterday after being refused bail on a firearms charge.
Two hours earlier Ms Brenda Coleman (33) and her husband Anthony (31) had been remanded in custody at the city's magistrates' court. They were charged with possessing a high-powered AK-47 assault rifle, 29 rounds of ammunition and a firearms training manual in their home at St James Road, west Belfast, last Wednesday.
Mrs Coleman seemed on the point of collapse in the dock and her husband put his arm around her and held her hands.
A detective said she had replied to the charges: "Absolutely not guilty. I know nothing about it." Her husband was said to have told police: "I have no knowledge of these items in my home, so I plead not guilty."
The defence solicitor, Mr Kevin Winters, said his clients were strenuously denying the charges, and Mrs Coleman would be applying for bail in the High Court.
When the application came before Mr Justice Sheil, a prosecution lawyer said the gun and manual were found during a planned police search.
She said the gun was on a shelf in a utility room off the kitchen and the defendants denied any involvement in the movement or storage of the items.
The lawyer said bail was opposed because of the seriousness of the charges and the fear that Mrs Coleman might abscond.
Mr Martin O'Rourke, defence counsel, said Mrs Coleman was nine weeks pregnant. He handed in a medical report and said she was in an extremely distressed condition due to concerns about her six-year-old daughter, her own asthma and the effects of the charge.
She and her husband had clear records, he said.