A round-up of today’s other news stories in brief
Service urged for children in violent homes
A specific service for children and young people who have experienced domestic violence is recommended in a report to be published today, writes Carol Coulter.
The result of research conducted by a team in the Children's Research Centre in Trinity College Dublin, Listen to Me, will be launched by Minister for Children Brian Lenihan.
The research was carried out with the participation of Mayo Women's Support Services and is based on interviews with mothers and children who had experienced domestic violence and with professionals and volunteers working in child and youth services.
Children living with domestic violence are affected by it in a variety of ways, the report says, but these can be reduced by appropriate interventions.
Depending on the ages and personalities of the children, they suffer fear and anxiety, insecurity, impaired concentration and a sense of being "different".
This can result in poor school performance, difficulty in making friends, low self-esteem, a tendency to be bullied and, in older children, in challenging and risky behaviour.
Man killed in Monaghan crash
A man in his 40s was killed in a two-car crash in Co Monaghan yesterday afternoon. He died after the car he was driving collided with another vehicle at Aghnamallagh, Smithboro.
He was brought to Cavan General Hospital, where he died. His female passenger and the driver of the second vehicle suffered injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening.
Motorcyclist killed by unsafe car
A motorcyclist travelling home for his sister's 21st birthday celebrations in 2004 was killed when hit by a modified car which was not roadworthy, an inquest heard yesterday.
Noel Meehan (19), Tuam, Galway, was driving on a provisional licence without NCT certification and without a fully licensed driver present. His car struck and killed motorcyclist David Black (24) from Bangor, Co Down, on the Galway-Tuam road on November 13th, 2004.
The original steering wheel in Meehan's Toyota Corolla had been replaced by one 4in smaller.
The car's standard-fitted four tyres had also been replaced with tyres 3in bigger.
On July 15th, 2005, Meehan pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and was given a nine-month suspended sentence.
Garda David Healy said "modifications meant the driver did not have complete control over the vehicle".
Garda Adrian Tucker, a forensic accident reconstructor, said the car's modifications had adversely affected driving ability. The jury returned a verdict of dangerous driving.
Contact made with 'bloody surface'
A forensic scientist has told a court that her examination of clothing of a man, who has pleaded not guilty to an assault, provided strong support that he had had contact with a bloody surface.
Kieran Roche (26), Taghmon, Co Wexford, has pleaded not guilty at Wexford Circuit Criminal Court to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Andreas Ryan (44) a Taghmon publican, on December 6th, 2003.
On the second day of the trial, Dr Diane Daly, a forensic scientist attached to the State laboratory in Dublin, said she observed a bloodstain on his shoe and a bloodstain on the outer side of the sole of his right shoe, while there was also a hair within the groove area of the sole of the shoe. There were no splatter bloodstains on his left shoe.
Dr Daly said these findings provided strong support that Mr Roche had contact with a bloodied surface and this included stamping, as blood was embedded in the shoe.
The trial continues today.