Woman accused of train station gun handover refused bail

A 20-year-old mother charged with the handover of a loaded gun on a Dublin to Belfast train at Connolly station has been refused bail in the High Court.

The y woman cannot be named due to a judge's order made at her first hearing on July 21st, when she was initially refused bail at Dublin District Court.

She and a man, aged 23, both from Dublin’s north inner city, were arrested following an intelligence-led operation involving officers from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.

The mother-of-one appeared again at Dublin District Court on Wednesday when Judge Alan Mitchell heard that the woman had also been refused bail in the High Court on Tuesday.

A CZ model 70 semi-automatic pistol, two rounds of 7.65 Browning calibre ammunition and a shotgun cartridge were recovered by gardaí on the Dublin to Belfast train on July 19th.

The man was approached by gardaí on the train.

Airport

The woman, who allegedly handed him the bag containing the gun, was stopped outside Terminal 1 at Dublin Airport later that day, the district court has heard.

The two are charged with three counts under the Firearms Act, offences which can result in sentences of up to 14 years imprisonment.

Garda Marguerite Reilly told Judge Mitchell that directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions still need to be obtained.

Judge Mitchell asked was it likely that the case would be sent up to the Special Criminal Court.

Garda Reilly said the trial venue has yet to be decided.

Dressed in black, the young woman remained silent during the hearing. Her solicitor Eoin Lysaght said that a bail application made on Tuesday in the High Court was "negative".

Judge Mitchell further remanded her in custody to appear again in two weeks.

Earlier, Garda Reilly had said the woman had strong links outside the jurisdiction in particular her partner and a relative residing in Northern Ireland, and she has close associates throughout Europe.

Her solicitor had told her bail hearing that the woman denied knowing what was in the bag.

The male co-defendant, is due back before Cloverhill District Court later this month.

The gagging order preventing press publication of their names was made by Judge Gerard Jones at the hearing on July 21st following requests by defence solicitors out of "safety concerns" for their clients.

Legal aid was granted to the pair who have not yet indicated how they will plead.