The jury in the trial at the Central Criminal Court of a man accused of raping a woman in an alleyway in her has been discharged after failing to reach a verdict.
The jury deliberated for almost seven hours before telling Mr Justice O'Donovan they were deadlocked on ninth day of the trial.
The judge remanded the 35-year-old accused man in custody to the next session for fixing trial dates. He had denied two charges of rape and buggery on the 27-year- old woman in a Co Cork town in September 2000.
14-year-old granted strict bail terms
A 14-year-old boy charged in connection with a serious assault which left a woman in hospital for weeks and another wearing disguises daily because she was in fear of intimidation, has been further remanded on strict bail pending further charges.
The Dublin Children's Court had heard that the boy and another youth aged 16 and a 15-year-old girl had been charged in connection in the same alleged incident in Dolphin's Barn on New Year's Eve.
Det Garda Andrew Diggin, Kevin Street, had described the case as "very serious" and said a woman was still in hospital since the alleged incident. He also said it was anticipated that further charges will be preferred.
The boy was given strict bail last week after the court heard that he and a co- accused were alleged to have threatened the woman while she was in hospital. The 14- year-old has been charged with assault causing harm and further more serious charges are expected, the court heard yesterday.
A further adjournment pending directions from the DPP was granted and the boy was released on restrictive bail on condition that he lived at home, kept away from St James's Hospital, the victims' homes and two flat complexes, obeyed a nightly curfew and signed on at a Garda station three times a week.
The case was adjourned until March.
Waterford elderly being burgled
Gardaí in Waterford have expressed concern about a series of burglaries targeting houses occupied by elderly people, many of whom have lived alone.
An elderly woman living on Griffith Place in the city was the latest victim with a small amount of cash stolen from her home some time on Wednesday night or Thursday morning. She did not notice the money missing until Thursday afternoon.
Earlier last month, a 75- year-old man was threatened when he disturbed three youths who had entered his apartment on Beau Street.
Sgt Padraig Dunne stressed that there was no evidence that the spate of burglaries were connected. However, he added, "we would be concerned about such burglaries. Although no one has been physically harmed, entering these people's homes can leave them particularly traumatised and feeling vulnerable."
Ennis-Limerick rail line closed for works
Rail passengers on the Ennis to Limerick line will travel by bus for the next 14 weeks because of major track improvement works. The €10 million investment to replace 22 miles of old track with continuous welded rail began yesterday.
Iarnród Éireann has advised passengers that bus transfers between Ennis and Limerick are in place and that there will be no change in departure times. Further civil engineering work on the lines include the replacement of the canal bride near Limerick and structural work on the Shannon rail bridge.
According to the rail company once completed, the new track will reduce journey times and improve reliability on the route.