Father and daughter court charged with possessing explosives and a firearm during police operation

A father and daughter, who a solicitor said had been 'badly used by others', have appeared in court charged with possessing explosives and a firearm found during a police operation in Derry last week.

Shannon Kelly (26) of Creevagh Heights and Gérard Kelly (48) of Victoria Place both in Derry appeared at the local Magistrate's Court today. 

Both were charged with possessing explosives namely two Soviet grenade heads, plastic explosives and two detonators with intent to endanger life on September 7.

They were also charged with possessing the same items in suspicious circumstances. 

Both are also charged with possessing a Browning short barrelled firearm and a quantity of ammunition with intent to endanger life on September 7 as well as a charge of possessing the weapon and ammunition in suspicious circumstances. 

A police officer connected the accused to the charges and opposed bail. 

He told the court that on September 7 police conducted a search in Southway and recovered a weapon in the roof space. 

A short time later a search was carried out by police at Creevagh Heights in the property belonging to Shannon Kelly who was present at the time. 

The court heard that in a blue bin in the back garden police recovered a holdall bag containing the grenades, explosives and the weapon and ammunition. 

The explosives were in two packages and weighed 1.2 kilos. 

The officer told the court that during the search there was 'a considerable disorder' with 16 officers injured. 

The next day September 8 police conducted a search in Stewart's Terrace and found further items including guns and explosive devices. 

The officer said that Shannon Kelly she had given an account to police. 

She said her father had placed a bag in the bin and she had no knowledge of the contents and believed it might contain drugs. 

The court heard her father claimed he found the bag in the street and simply threw it in the bin. 

Shannon Kelly said she had texted her father about the bag and the court heard that there was 'a short space of time between the bag being placed in the in and the arrival of police.

The court heard about a phone conversation between Gérard Kelly and his former partner who asked him how he could leave stuff like that where his grandson played. 

Kelly was said to have said he didn't know why he did it and that he was going to hand himself in. 

Police objected to bail for Shannon Kelly due to the risk of further offences. 

Defence solicitor Paddy MacDermott said that Shannon Kelly had no record of this nature. 

He said she had spoken freely with police and she did not know what was in the bag.

The solicitor said that Shannon Kelly had been 'badly used by other more sinister people' and this was something she had no control over.

District Judge Barney McElholm said that the bag ended up in her property in an amateur way. 

He granted bail on condition she observes a curfew, wears a tag, reports to police once a week and has no contact with certain members of her family. 

As regards Gérard Kelly bail was opposed on the grounds he might flee the jurisdiction and that he had 32 previous convictions. 

The police officer said that police believed the items were linked to the new IRA and that they believed Gérard Kelly was 'a facilitator' for that organisation.

Defence solicitor Paddy MacDermott asked was it believed Kelly had been intoxicated when he deposited the bag and was told it was. 

He asked had the defendant tried to hand himself in on Saturday night but was refused because he was intoxicated and was told this was so. 

Judge McElholm said that he did not believe the story about Kelly finding the bag but said it was significant that those who have these weapons 'find themselves reduced to using someone with drink taken.'

But he added 'we have seen recently these people have some strange bedfellows.'

He said Gérard Kelly's bail application was 'premature' given there was an ongoing investigation.

He remanded him in custody and both will appear on October 5.