Christine Connor trial: Bomb suspect says she is ‘viewed as a second-class citizen’

A north Belfast woman charged with involvement in a pipe bomb attack on police has been accused of telling lies in a bid to get herself out of a “mess”.
Christine Connor arriving for an earlier court appearanceChristine Connor arriving for an earlier court appearance
Christine Connor arriving for an earlier court appearance

As well as rejecting this suggestion, Christine Connor said: “Just because I’m a republican and hold republican beliefs does not mean I attempted to murder any police officers.”

The 34-year-old is standing trial at Belfast Crown Court on six offences – including attempting to murder police, possessing explosives and causing an explosion – arising from two pipe bomb incidents in the north of the city in May 2013.

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The first occurred in the Ligoniel Road on May 16, with the second on the Crumlin Road in the early hours of May 28 when two devices were launched at police.

Connor spent her second day in the witness box at her non-jury trial being cross-examined by Crown barrister Liam McCollum QC.

She was asked to explain how her DNA was present on several items found close to the scene at one incident, and was also asked about the contents found on electrical items located in a mattress in her home.

Connor denied involvement in both pipe bomb incidents – and made the case the courts viewed her as a “second-class citizen” due to her political beliefs.

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After confirming her republican background, Connor was asked if she believed in “the violent struggle or the peaceful struggle”. She said that while she didn’t feel she had the right to condemn anyone, “if there are people who believe the only way to a united Ireland is through an armed struggle, then fine. That’s not the same as me saying I would be involved in it”.

Mr McCollum asked the defendant if she had “any problem” with the attempt to kill police on May 28. Connor she said she would not condemn “anyone who continues with the armed struggle, but that does not mean I’m involved in that. I support Nasa but I’m not an astronaut”.

At various points during her cross-examination, Connor said she had waited for six-and-a-half years to give her version of events. Claiming she could have been set up, Connor was asked about two laptops and a mobile phone found in a mattress in her home.

Connor denied owning the devices, pointed out she was not forensically connected to the phone, and suggested the police speak to the person whose fingerprints were located on the mobile.

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She was also asked to explain the presence of her DNA on a phone located close to the scene of the early morning explosion on the Crumlin Road and gloves found in an alleyway, as well as her blood on a hoodie top found in a nearby skip.

Saying that prior to the events of May 2013 she had “contributed items of clothing to various republican groups” such as hats and gloves, Connor added: “There are many, many, many potentially innocent ways to explain why there was DNA belonging to me on those gloves.”

Following a day of cross-examination, Mr McCollum said: “You have no compunction about telling lies to get yourself out of the mess you have got yourself into.”

She replied: “I totally disagree with that. I fully accepted coming into court that no matter what I say or no matter what I do, I will automatically be deemed the bad one.

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“I’m a republican. Let’s be honest here, born bad, born guilty. I am not a liar. I did not attempt to kill police officers.”

The prosecution and defence will now make final submissions to Judge Stephen Fowler QC, who set a date for a further hearing on January 10.