Sliabh Liag murderer jailed for four months for vicious attacks on gardaí

Stephen Maguire

A woman who was jailed for life after a man was murdered and his body thrown over cliffs in Co Donegal has been jailed for four months for attacking gardaí.

Nikita Burns appeared at Letterkenny District Court, where she admitted assaulting two gardaí during a vicious late-night attack.

Burns, 23, attacked the officers after staff at Letterkenny University Hospital called for help while Burns was being treated at the medical unit at 1.10am on January 4th, 2023.

The court was told that Burns was placed in a patrol car at the hospital following an incident.

However, she then tried to gouge the eyes of a female Garda before pulling her hair and then also attacked a male officer by kicking him in the shins.

She later admitted the offences.

The offences happened before Burns took part in the murder of Robin Wilkin, five months later in June 2023.

The victim's body was thrown over cliffs at Sliabh Liag in south Donegal, with his body recovered from the water several days later.

Burns and her co-accused, Alan Vial, 39, were both sentenced to life for the murder of Mr Wilkin in March.

Both had pleaded not guilty before Mr Justice Paul McDermott but were found guilty after a trial lasting a number of weeks.

The trial heard gruesome evidence of how the victim had been bashed with a rock at Roshin near Killybegs before he was driven to Sliabh Liag and dumped over cliffs there.

The pair had both blamed each other for carrying out the murder, but the jury agreed with the prosecution that this was a joint enterprise and found both guilty of murder.

Both were given life sentences.

Ms Burns' solicitor, Mr Rory O'Brien, said that at the time of the attack on gardaí in January 2023, his client had no previous convictions.

He said Ms Burns had engaged fully with the Probation Services and a report had been handed into court.

Mr O'Brien said Burns was “suffering significant mental health deterioration” and had issues ongoing in her life.

He had previously explained how Burns had a very difficult life and had been placed in care at an early age.

She began experimenting with drugs, which led to more difficulty, and she found herself homeless, leading a very transient life, he added.

“She has no recollection of this incident,” he said in relation to the assault on the gardaí.

He said custody has not been easy on Burns and there have “been very low moments”, but her incarceration has allowed her to “reflect on her life and her actions”.

Judge Éiteáin Cunningham reviewed her notes on the case and, taking into account the mitigation and circumstances arising, she jailed Burns for four months on each of the two summonses.

The sentences are to run concurrently and will also run concurrent to the sentence she is currently serving.