A round-up of today’s other news stories in brief
Bad weather halts search for fisherman
Bad weather forced the suspension of the search for missing fisherman Conor Bogues (26) yesterday evening. A prayer service was held last night at Ardglass harbour in Co Down for Mr Bogues and his colleague, Donal Gibson (22), who died on Thursday night when their vessel, Greenhill, was lost after it was driven on to rocks and broke up in bad weather.
Mr Gibson's body was recovered on Sunday after a major air and sea rescue.
Drogheda man gets two jail terms
A Drogheda man who was involved in the killing of his sister's former boyfriend was yesterday jailed for seven years at the Central Criminal Court.
Mark Johnson (23), Church View Upper, Drogheda, was acquitted of the murder of Russell Deane (28), Elmwood, Drogheda, at Mr Deane's home on February 1st 2003, but was found guilty of his manslaughter, following a trial last December.
He also pleaded guilty at the start of yesterday's hearing to trespassing with a weapon, namely a shovel handle, on the same date. He was sentenced to four years for this offence. Both sentences are to run concurrently.
Man in ear bite case sentenced
A convicted criminal who bit part of the right ear of a man in what is believed to have been a "case of mistaken identity" has been given a two-year sentence consecutive to five years he is already serving. Dean Furlong (36), Blessington Street, Dublin 7, was jailed for five years last May by Judge Michael White on a charge relating to possession of firearms.
He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to Eoin Casey at Race Course Shopping Centre, Grange Road, on October 17th 2004.
Donegal man gets five years for rape
A Donegal man who was convicted of raping a sales representative in a hotel room has been given a five-year sentence by Mr Justice Philip O'Sullivan at the Central Criminal Court.
Gary McHugh (33), of Drimnaghcullion, Inver, whose offer of €20,000 to the woman as a token of his remorse was accepted by her, had four years of his sentence suspended on conditions. Mr Justice O'Sullivan certified McHugh as a sex offender and directed that he attend an approved psychotherapy course after his release and continue his membership of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Clerk takes case against bank
A bank clerk has begun a challenge in the High Court to an attempt to dismiss her after a bag containing €80,000 went missing in the Bank of Ireland branch at Portlaoise, Co Laois.
Mary McEvoy (21) said in an affidavit that she did nothing wrong and she believed that, because of her age, she was a victim of circumstances and was a "convenient scapegoat" for the bank. Her counsel, Mr Martin Hayden SC, said that the bank did not abide by its own rules and disciplinary procedures in its treatment of Ms McEvoy.
The court heard that an internal investigation into the disappearance in June 2005 of a bag containing €80,000 in €20 notes alleged that Ms McEvoy did not pay due care and attention to her duties and had failed to lock a door between a drop safe and the main banking hall, permitting access.
Ms Justice Mary Laffoy will give judgment on the injunction application next Thursday.
€30,000 for Irish lobby group in US
The Government is giving a €30,000 grant to support the work of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR) in the United States. The ILIR was set up in New York in December 2005 to lobby the US government on behalf of the undocumented Irish in the US.