Museum worker accused of possessing Semtex gets bail on condition of €40,000 surety

Bail granted with strict conditions

A National Museum employee charged over the seizure of a Semtex explosive device has been granted €40,000 bail under strict conditions. Simon O’Donovan (44), of Sperrin Road, Dublin 12, appeared at the High Court on Tuesday for his bail application, having previously been remanded in custody by the Special Criminal Court.

The court heard he is a member of the dissident-aligned republican group Saoradh and that a Garda Special Detective Unit (SDU) officer voiced concerns that he “would continue to engage in operational activities to further the aims of New IRA”. O’Donovan was arrested following an SDU operation in which a car was stopped in Co Monaghan near the Border in July.

O’Donovan is charged with knowingly possessing an explosive improvised device on July 22 at St Laurence’s Road, Chapelizod, Dublin 10, an offence contrary to section 4 of the Explosive Substances Act as amended by the Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act 1998.

Bail terms and surety

Mr Justice Mícheál P. O’Higgins noted that gardaí objected to bail but held it could be granted subject to strict conditions. O’Donovan must lodge €10,000 personally and needs approval from an independent surety with €30,000 available, which will be frozen in their account. The surety has yet to be continued and can be endorsed later in the District Court.

The orders require him to surrender his passport, reside at his current address, obey a curfew from 10pm to 7am, provide a mobile phone number on which he is available 24/7, sign on daily at a local Garda station, have no direct or indirect contact with members of Saoradh, or engage in any of the movement’s events. He must also stay out of the Dublin 7 area and the Collins Barrack National Museum and have no contact with witnesses or with co-accused Isobella Perrie Sullivan.

Evidence and allegations

Detective Sergeant Shane Noone agreed with Niamh O’Carroll, for the State, that he remained concerned O’Donovan would commit other offences and interfere with witnesses in the case. Det Sgt Noone alleged that CCTV captured O’Donovan leaving Collins Barracks Museum with a distinctive holdall bag at approximately 1.30pm on July 22, and that CCTV tracked him cycling to the War Memorial Gardens and meeting Ms Perrie Sullivan 20 minutes later. Gardaí said he was observed at St Laurence Road showing her the contents of the bag, which she took and drove to Aclint, Carrickmacross, where she was stopped by the SDU.

Recovered from the bag were 394 grammes of military-grade Semtex, a timer, a timing switch, and a viable detonator. The device had been transported to and stored at the museum, posing an ongoing risk to members of the public and tourists, according to the officer. He said an unintended detonation “would have caused catastrophic damage and serious loss of life or serious injury”. On his arrest, O’Donovan replied, “This is harassment because I am a member of Saoradh.” The SDU officer described Saoradh as a far-left political group formed by dissident republicans in the Republic and the North, aligned with the New IRA.

The court also heard that O’Donovan worked at the National Museum for a decade as deputy facilities officer and has been on bail awaiting trial. He is to remain in custody with consent to bail until the funds are provided, and is due back before the Special Criminal Court on October 5 for the book of evidence.

Perspectives

This section allows room for the views of the parties involved. The officer for the State, Det Sgt Noone, argued that the accused’s political association remains relevant to his concerns. Defence counsel David Perry argued that the officer made much of O’Donovan’s political party membership while omitting that he denies the offence. Perry also emphasised that O’Donovan was his parents’ only son and primary carer for elderly sick parents and that he had worked at the museum for 10 years with good colleagues, which the officer disputed. The officer conceded there were no flight-risk concerns and that O’Donovan was in a long-term relationship, but he still expressed fears about interference with property or evidence, while accepting there was no evidence of that.

Co-accused

Isobella Perrie Sullivan (25) of Abbeylands Park, Clane, Co Kildare, has been charged with possession of an explosive device on July 22, in connection with the same investigation. She was released on €15,000 bail with conditions that she have no contact with anyone in Saoradh or the New IRA. Her case has been adjourned until September 28.