Some of today's other court stories in brief.
Man guilty of raping student in Galway
A Latvian man was found guilty at the weekend by a Central Criminal Court jury of raping an American student in Galway two years ago on St Valentine's night.
Dennis Kovalenko (25), Newcastle Road, Galway, was remanded in custody by Mr Justice Barry White for sentence later. He had met the victim in Shop Street, Galway, at about 3am and bought her a rose from a street seller before he raped her at Upper Canal Road. He had pleaded not guilty to raping and orally raping the now 24-year-old victim and gave evidence during his trial claiming they had consensual sexual activity.
Mr Justice White certified Kovalenko for inclusion on the register of sexual offenders and directed the preparation of victim impact and probation reports.
Man pleads guilty to manslaughter
A man who awaits sentence for threatening to shoot a garda has pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to manslaughter arising out of a separate incident in 2004. Stephen Kearney (20) Coultry Drive, Ballymun, admitted unlawfully killing Francis Gallagher at Coultry Road on October 25th, 2004. He will be sentenced later.
Kearney previously pleaded guilty to threatening then recently appointed Garda Michael Ryan in Hughes's Pub, Chancery Street, on September 16th, 2004 that he would be killed or maimed by him if he saw him in a patrol car.
Court bid for RTÉ weather contract
Smart Telecom has brought High Court proceedings aimed at stopping RTÉ from awarding the contract for the sponsorship of the weather forecast to any other company. Paul Gardiner SC, for Smart, said yesterday he was seeking an early date for the hearing as the contract for the sponsorship of the weather is running out.
Mr Justice Frank Clarke joined Glanbia as a co- defendant with RTÉ in the case and adjourned the matter to May 15th next.
Insurance fraud appeal denied
A Westmeath auctioneer and valuer described as "one of the main players" in an elaborate insurance fraud has lost his appeal against a 30 month prison sentence.
Peter Leahy (37), Old Longford Road, Mullingar, was jailed for 30 months after he pleaded guilty last year to three charges of fraud and false pretences arising out of incidents in 1995 and 1996 in which more than £92,000 (€116,800) was defrauded from Guardian PMPA and Cornhill Insurance. The Circuit Criminal Court was told that Leahy got more than €82,415 from the scam which involved showing damaged vehicles with false number plates to assessors to defraud insurance companies.
The Court of Criminal Appeal yesterday refused Leahy's appeal against severity of sentence.
Trial of man on child porn charge
A jury has been sworn in for the trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of a computer technician charged with possession of child pornography.
Ray Flynn (41), Ellensborough Way, Kiltipper, has pleaded not guilty to five charges. The hearing will be conducted before Judge Miriam Reynolds.
Youth has looting charge dropped
A 17-year-old youth arrested for looting during the riots which erupted at the "Love Ulster" rally in Dublin in February walked free from court yesterday after the prosecution was withdrawn.
The youth, who is from north inner city, Dublin, had been charged at the Children's Court with burglary of the Footlocker Shop, O'Connell Street, which was ransacked during the riots on February 25th last. Garda Páraic Lynch said the DPP had ordered that the charge be dropped.