THE COURT of Criminal Appeal has quashed the conviction of a woman who received a five-year suspended sentence for assisting armed robbers and possessing a gun over four years ago.
Emma Radford (36), Johnstown Wood, Navan, Co Meath, had pleaded not guilty to possessing a Beretta double-barrel shotgun, handling property stolen from a Costcutters store in Skerries, Co Dublin, and two counts of assisting armed robbers in February 2007.
Judge Desmond Hogan imposed a five-year suspended sentence on Ms Radford after a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury convicted her following a six-day trial in January 2009. Her former partner, Stephen Darby (37), Larchill, Santry, Dublin was jailed for eight years for the Skerries armed robbery.
Presiding judge Mr Justice Nial Fennelly said there was no evidence that Ms Radford had prior knowledge of the robbery and although the circumstances were “highly suspicious”, the evidence “simply fell short” of placing her in possession of the gun.
The case regarding stolen property was “even weaker” as there was no evidence Ms Radford had handled the goods or arranged for them to be handled. The conviction was quashed on all counts and no retrial was ordered.