Michael Madden of Madden & Finucane Solicitors
A lawyer for a woman who admitted the attempted murder of a policeman has raised concern about police comments made in the wake of her plea.
Christine Connor, 31, plead guilty to six terror offences on Wednesday linked to two attacks against police in Belfast in May 2013.
In the second, officers escaped injury after two blast bombs detonated close to their patrol car near the Crumlin Road in Belfast.
The north Belfast woman’s solicitor Michael Madden raised concern about the contents of a media statement and associated press conference given by Police Service of Northern Ireland Detective Superintendent Kevin Geddes after her plea at Belfast Crown Court.
Mr Geddes’s comments came before a scheduled sentence hearing next month.
He described her as a deceitful and extremely dangerous lone wolf republican who had enticed another man into her criminal web using a fake online profile.
The man, co-accused Shrewsbury man Stuart Downes, 31, took his own life last year before his case came to trial.
Mr Madden questioned the appropriateness of the PSNI making such comments prior to sentencing.
“I have concerns in relation to the release of such a statement before any evidence has been presented to the court,” he said.
“Ms Connor is considering her legal options regarding any potential breach of her right to a fair hearing.
“The police statement raises a number of issues which shall be addressed at the sentence hearing.”
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