In short

More news in brief.

More news in brief.

Woman (20) killed in car crash in Louth

A 20-year-old woman was killed in a car crash in Co Louth yesterday morning.

She died when the car she was driving hit a lamp post on the M1 near Major's Hollow in Dundalk at about 8.30am. The victim was travelling alone. Her body was removed to Louth County Hospital in Dundalk.

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Injured boy awarded £1m

A schoolboy who was seriously injured when he was hit by a car while playing on a road in West Belfast was awarded more than £1 million (€1.47million) in compensation yesterday. Matthew McCarthy, from Twinbrook, Belfast, was in a coma for three months after the accident on the Stewartstown Road in 1999.

He suffered extensive injuries to his head and left side and was in a wheelchair when his case was settled at Belfast High Court.

Murder accused pleads not guilty

A 31-year-old Dublin man yesterday pleaded not guilty to the murder of a man in a Dublin public house two years ago at the Central Criminal Court.

Gary Bryan of Brookville Crescent, Tallaght, denies the murder of Paul Warren (24) of St Teresa's Gardens, Dublin, at Grey's pub, Newmarket Square, Dublin, on February 25th, 2004.

The trial is expected to begin tomorrow.

Offaly man jailed for sex offence

An illiterate Offaly man who had sexual intercourse with a mentally impaired woman has been sentenced to 18 months in prison by Mr Justice Paul Carney at the Central Criminal Court.

Mr Justice Carney described the crime as "very serious" and placed Campbell on the register of sex offenders, giving him credit for a plea of guilty and for apologising to the victim. James Campbell (49), of Coologue, An Daingean, pleaded guilty to committing the offence on January 28th, 2001.

18 months for assaulting woman

A Kildare man has been given an 18-month suspended sentence by Mr Justice Paul Carney at the Central Criminal Court for assaulting a teenage woman.

Patrick O'Sullivan (26) of Willbrook Park, Leixlip, pleaded guilty to assault causing her harm on June 5th, 2003. Mr Justice Carney suspended the sentence on O'Sullivan's bond to keep the peace for five years.

The court heard O'Sullivan struck the woman in the mouth and broke a piece off one of her teeth after they had been drinking vodka near her home.

Ex-PSNI officer fined over driving

A former PSNI officer was fined £400 (€585) yesterday for driving a police Land Rover at women and children after rioting broke out at a controversial Orange Order march.

Alan Alexander Leckey (40), who is no longer in the PSNI, was also banned from driving for 18 months after he was found guilty of dangerous driving.

Kenmare hotel case settled

The general manager of the five-star Sheelin Falls Lodge hotel in Kenmare, Co Kerry has settled his High Court proceedings against the hotel for an undisclosed sum. The settlement was announced yesterday afternoon after Mr Justice Frank Clarke began hearing an application by Mr Adrian Bartels for an injunction restraining the hotel from continuing with a disciplinary procedure against him.

Scrap company challenges council

A scrap metal company has brought a High Court challenge to a decision of Kilkenny County Council refusing to allow a shipload of scrap metal to leave New Ross port for a steel mill in Spain. The ship has been berthed at the port since November last.