A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Man guilty of abusing children
A Donegal man was found guilty of indecently assaulting three children over a four-year period at yesterday's sitting of Letterkenny Circuit Court.
Allen Turner (59), Rossbracken, Manorcunningham, Letterkenny, was before the court charged with 35 counts of indecent assault against two brothers and their sister.
The offences took place in outhouses on the family farm on unknown dates between 1968 and 1972 when the children were under 10.
The jury returned a unanimous verdict on all counts after almost three hours of deliberations.
The court heard, in the absence of the jury, that Turner had previous convictions.
The victims gave evidence that hay sheds and livestock sheds where the abuse took place were next to the family home. Turner worked on the victims' family farm at the time.
In his summing up, Judge John O'Hagan told the jury they must return a unanimous verdict and treat each charge separately.
The judge remanded Turner on continuing bail until July 11th for sentencing.
Woman drove through checkpoint
A disqualified driver was pursued at speed by a Garda patrol car after she failed to stop at a checkpoint, but the chase was abandoned because of the speed at which she was travelling, a court has been told.
Catriona O'Brien (30), of Woodpark, Mountshannon, Co Clare, appeared before Killaloe District Court, where she pleaded guilty to a total of 10 charges arising from the incident last September when a garda had to jump to safety as the accused "drove her car around the checkpoint".
Ms O'Brien, who was already disqualified from driving at the time of the incident, was charged with nine motoring offences, including drink driving, dangerous driving, failing to stop, having no insurance, driver's licence or road tax.
The accused also pleaded guilty to a charge of littering.
Ms O'Brien's solicitor said her client was a single mother involved in conflict with the father of her two children. She is on medication and is making efforts to get her life back on track.
"Things are looking brighter for her for the first time. Her children depend on her and she is getting her life back together," the court heard.
Ms O'Brien was released on bail with strict conditions. Judge Joseph Mangan adjourned the matter until July 17th pending preparation of probation and psychiatric reports.
Court rules on Mayo quarry
The High Court has found there was intensification of work at a quarry near Newport in Co Mayo, a finding that may now lead to the quarry owners having to secure permission for the works at the site.
Mayo County Council had argued the quarry was an unauthorised development about which numerous complaints had been received from local residents.
Following the decision by Mr Justice Eamon de Valera, orders will be made by the judge on May 29th next in relation to the quarry development at Cartron, Newport.
Geraghty Brothers Civil Engineering had denied any intensification of activity over and above that assessed by An Board Pleanála.