Courts / Dublin / Report

Woman (21) who had loaded gun at Connolly station walks free from court

Date
2018-02-19

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

A 21‑year‑old woman, Nikita Murtagh, pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing a loaded CZ model 70 semi‑automatic pistol at Dublin's Connolly train station on 19 July last year. She had handed a shoebox containing the gun to a man, Ciaran Ryan, who was about to board the Dublin‑to‑Belfast train. Ryan was later jailed for three years for possession of the firearm. Murtagh was arrested at a bus stop outside Dublin airport at 6 pm, carrying a handbag with a change of clothes and a passport. At the Special Criminal Court, she was sentenced to three years in jail, backdated to 17 July, with the balance of the sentence suspended. The judge noted her guilty plea, her role as a courier, her "misplaced sense of family loyalty", and her status as a mother of a three‑year‑old child as mitigating factors. She walked free after the suspension was granted.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Woman (21) who had loaded gun at Connolly station walks free from court. Charges or matters: having a loaded gun at Connolly train station in Dublin has walked free from court after the balance of her sentence was suspended today by the Special Criminal Court. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

July 17th Incident
July 19th Incident
2018-02-19 Publication

Why: Under cross-examination, Det Insp Browne told Michael O'Higgins SC, defending, that Murtagh was a courier, chosen for her role because she was not a criminal but was "naive" and a "fresh face" who had not previously come to garda attention. Defence account reported by CNI

Case subjects

Ciaran Ryan

Convicted Person

Outcome: Last month, Ryan (24), from Summerhill, Dublin 1 was jailed for three years for possession of the firearm.

Nikita Murtagh

Convicted Person

Charges: having a loaded gun at Connolly train station in Dublin has walked free from court after the balance of her sentence was suspended today by the Special Criminal Court (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Credit: Collins) A 21-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to having a loaded gun at Connolly train station in Dublin has walked free from court after the balance of her sentence was suspended today by the Special Criminal Court. During her sentence hearing, Detective Inspector Noel Browne told prosecuting counsel, Gareth Baker SC, that on the day in question, during a surveillance operation, gardai observed Murtagh enter the train station shortly before 3:15pm.