The teenager who gave Kelly Noble the knife which was used to fatally stab mother of two Emma McLoughlin outside a shop in Co Meath last year has apologised to the McLoughlin family through her solicitor.
Niamh Cullen (18), Inse Bay, Laytown, pleaded guilty yesterday to possession of the knife contrary to the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act.
She appeared before Drogheda District Court where she was due to be sentenced by Judge Flann Brennan.
In March Noble (21) was convicted of the manslaughter of Ms McLoughlin (19) at the Central Criminal Court and sentenced to 10 years in jail, the last two of which were suspended.
That court heard Cullen was friendly with both Noble and Ms McLoughlin and was babysitting for Noble on the evening in question, when Noble had called her from the shop.
The trial had heard Cullen understood that Ms McLoughlin had punched Noble in the face and that there was a gang of girls waiting outside the shop who were going to beat her up.
"She asked me to bring a knife down to Pat's shop and to come down and collect the children," Cullen told the trial.
"I grabbed a knife, put it into a small schoolbag and hurried down to the shop."
Sgt Nicky Kelly, Drogheda, previously told Judge Brennan the bag was on the back of a buggy but unknown to the accused, the knife had been removed.
He added that Cullen thought it would be waved around and that she would get her friend away from danger.
Ms McLoughlin died as a result of the stabbing.
In Drogheda District Court yesterday, Cullen's solicitor Paddy Goodwin said that she wanted to say that she had acted out of fear for her friend and that she had no idea of the consequences.
He said she wanted to apologise to the McLoughlin family "for their tragic loss".
As a result of what had occurred, she has been "catapulted from adolescence to adulthood in an awful way", Mr Goodwin added.
She was remorseful and full of apprehension about the consequences, he also said.
Judge Brennan had previously adjourned sentencing to consider a probation and welfare service report on Cullen.
He was given further details on her circumstances yesterday.
Judge Brennan said she had another appointment later this month and he wanted to consider the report expected after it.
He adjourned until July 6th when the case is due to be concluded.