Woman accused of murdering Tyrone man appears in court

A 21-YEAR-OLD woman has appeared before a special sitting of Letterkenny District Court this morning charged with the murder of a Tyrone man earlier this summer.

Nikita Burns, of West End Accommodation, Bundoran, replied, “I didn’t do it” when charged with the murder, at a place unknown, Detective Sergeant Mattie Murphy told the court.

He arrested her in Bundoran and brought her to Ballyshannon Garda Station yesterday (Monday) evening, where she was charged.

Her alleged victim, Tyrone native Robert Wilkin, also known as Robin Wilkin, was in his sixties.

His body was recovered from the sea at Slieve Liag on July 3 following a week-long extensive search of the area by Gardai and the Irish Coastguard.

Superintendent Karen Duffy applied for a remand of the accused in custody to Letterkenny District Court on Monday, September 4.

Solicitor for Burns, Rory O’Brien, told Judge Ciaran Liddy that the issue of bail did not arise.

Mr O’Brien applied for and was granted legal aid and requested that his client, while in custody, “receive all medical treatment and psychiatric treatment that is relevant and any other medication required”.

Burns was remanded in custody to appear at Letterkenny District Court via videolink on September 4.

On July 14, a co-accused in the case, Alan Vial(38), of Drumanoo Head, Killybegs, was before Ballyshannon District Court charged with Wilkin’s murder on June 25.

He did not speak during the hearing and made no reply when charged by Gardai.