Woman serving sentence for dissident republican attack charged with sexual assault on prison officer

Although Christine Connor did not appear at Belfast Magistrates Court on Friday, the 40-year-old was charged with a total of six offences, alleged to have been committed in February last year.

Connor, originally from north Belfast but whose address has been given as c/o Hydebank Women’s Prison, faces three charges of sexual assault against a male complainant.

She is also accused of causing actual bodily harm to a female complainant and making a threat to kill her, in addition to a charge of common assault of a second man.

The alleged facts of the case were not opened, other than defence counsel Kelly Doherty confirming the accusations involve prison staff in Hydebank.

Miss Doherty also confirmed that Connor “is serving a sentence” and she told District Judge Amanda Henderson that because the 40-year-old “does not recognise the court, I think it would be best if you enter not guilty pleas on her behalf.”

Rather than having Connor brought to court to have the charges put to her, Judge Henderson suggested the defendant could appear by video link, a suggestion agreed by the defence so the case was adjourned to 30 January.

Connor is currently serving a sentence of life imprisonment with a minimum tariff of 25 years for attempted murder after she threw a pipe bomb at police.

She was jailed in August 2020 for four offences of attempted murder and possessing explosives with intent to endanger life, relating to two incidents in the north of the city in May 2013.

These included an attack on police who were lured to the scene by a bogus 999 call she made, claiming to be the victim of domestic violence.

Describing the attack on police as both "cynical and sinister,” Judge Stephen Fowler KC, as he then was, said he was satisfied it was an attempt by Connor, to "lure police into an ambush”.

He said Connor is a “committed dissident republican… wedded to violence” and that when she made the bogus 999 call, she "knew that police would regard a domestic violence situation as a high priority”.

One of the devices landed at the right foot of a PSNI officer and he was "entirely fortuitous to escape with his life,” said the judge, adding that the incidents "were terrifying for all those caught up in them”.

"The aim and intentions behind these attacks was to kill police… the devices were effective anti-personnel devices and their planning and deployment were detailed,” the judge declared.

Judge Fowler added: "The defendant was the driving force behind the attacks, securing the making of the pipe bombs, the reconnoitre of the attack locations and throwing the bombs.

"In my view she remains a committed dissident republican and nothing has changed. She is still wedded to violence.

"Her pivotal role in these attacks demonstrated a commitment to the dissident republican cause and a willingness to murder to further those ends.

"She has also shown no remorse.''

Initially, Connor had been handed a 20 year term but judges in the Court of Appeal increased that to 25 years.