Tuesday June 9th 1998

Theft charge pair freed on bail

A transsexual who collapsed in court last Friday after being jailed for six months was freed on bail pending appeal.  Petra McCullough (23) who used to be a man and was known as Peter, was jailed along with Gary Brown (28) after they admitted handling stolen goods.  The Magistrate at Derry Court refused to grant them bail and made a special order to ensure McCullough was detained in the female wing of Maghaberry Prison.

In the High Court yesterday a lwayer for the pair said they had clear records and would turn up fo their appeal.  A Crown lawyer said they were living at Rockmills, Derry, but came from Carrigans and Malin, Co. Donegal.  He said they were already on bail from Letterkenny Court on a charge of stealing computer equipment worth 14,000 which was the subject of the handling charge.  Mr. Justice Coghlin said if the magistrate had been aware that they had honoured their bail in the Republic she might have taken a different view and he released them on their own bail of £500 each.

Copyright © 1998, The Irish Times