A woman convicted of attempting to murder police in Northern Ireland is to face a retrial after the Appeal Court judges cast doubt on her pleas.

Christine Connor, 32, was jailed for 16 years and four months at Belfast Crown Court last year after being convicted of a number of dissident republican terrorist offences, including the attempted murder of a police officer in the city.

She was accused of posing as a Swedish model to entrap men into taking part in a terror plot that involved blast bomb attacks on police in north Belfast in May 2013.

Guilty pleas to six charges were accepted by a judge in Belfast Crown Court in May 2017 ahead of passing sentence.

However, Ms Connor, from north Belfast, challenged those pleas in the Court of Appeal, arguing they were ambiguous or equivocal. She contended that her pleas were involuntary and the result of being subjected to pressure by her legal advisers.

Her lawyers denied those claims during the appeal case.

When asked to enter her pleas in court, on each occasion Ms Connor had said she was “not guilty” but added “on advice I will plead guilty”.

Referring to principles applicable to pleas, the Court of Appeal judges said where a defendant says something that qualifies a guilty plea the court should seek clarity on whether he or she genuinely intended to plead guilty.

Christine Connor
Christine Connor faces a retrial (PSNI/PA)

Neither the judge or the lawyers questioned the nature of Ms Connor’s plea.

In their judgment, the Appeal Court judges said the failure to seek clarity was “inexplicable”.

“In these circumstances we do have doubt as to whether a confession was intended,” said the judgment.

“On any showing the pleas were heavily qualified, ambiguous and equivocal.”

The judges added: “We consider that in these circumstances a conviction resting solely on such a plea of guilty cannot be regarded as safe. The prosecution in resisting this aspect of the appeal and has relied heavily upon the suggestion that the case against the appellant was overwhelming. Whether that be so or not, and we express no view, a conviction resting solely on the heavily qualified pleas entered in this case cannot be regarded as safe.”

The judges quashed the convictions and ordered a retrial.