A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Six years for man caught with cocaine
A man who had cocaine worth over €130,000 hidden in chocolate boxes in his luggage at Dublin airport has been jailed for six years.
Tunde Olubunmi (28), of Toyin Street, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria, pleaded guilty to possession of the cocaine for sale or supply on February 28th, 2005.
Judge Katherine Delahunt at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court said that while he was low down the criminal chain "persons higher up could not continue with their trade without his participation".
Garda Damien Rodgers told Robert Barron, prosecuting, that a Customs official found 1.89kg of cocaine, valued at €132,495, inside three boxes of Toblerone.
Warning over €7m cannabis case
A case against two men charged with having €7 million worth of cannabis could be thrown out next month if the book of evidence against them is not ready.
Frank Lockhart (34), Mount Olive Road, Kilbarrack, and Gary Mohan (40), Coolock Avenue, both Dublin, were charged with possession of the drugs for supply in a van stopped on the M1 in Whitehall on November 30th last.
Dublin District Court heard yesterday the book of evidence was not yet ready and the prosecution applied for a further remand. Both men have taken up bail, Judge Timothy Lucey heard.
The judge agreed to a request from defence lawyers, who objected to an extension of time for service of the book, to make it peremptory on the next date. This means that if it is not ready, charges could be struck out. He remanded both on continuing bail to appear again on March 23rd.
Stolen coin was found on burglar
A man arrested with an old foreign coin taken shortly before in a burglary claimed he had got it from a stall selling "holy yokes" in Knock, Co Mayo.
Thomas Hanrahan (19), also known as Ned Cash, of St Maelruan's Halting Site, Tallaght, was convicted in his absence of handling stolen property taken from a house on Eden Road, Dún Laoghaire, on September 4th last.
He was also convicted of trespass with intent on the same day at a house on Thomastown Road, Killiney, where gardaí on patrol spotted him banging on a door, shouting though the letter box and then going around a side entrance.
He was also found guilty of burglary on New Year's Day last year when gardaí disturbed him and two others as they tried to ransack a house at Thomas Moore Road, Walkinstown.
In Dublin District Court yesterday Judge Bridget Reilly said she wanted him present for sentencing and issued a warrant for his arrest so he could be brought before court as soon as possible.
Rape Crisis Centre seeks volunteers
Dublin Rape Crisis Centre has appealed for people to volunteer as telephone counsellors and support personnel. The request is in response to an increase in the crime.
The centre, which deals with upwards of 38,000 calls a year through its 24-hour counselling line and offers support to victims from the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit in the Rotunda Hospital, is seeking to recruit persons over 25. Those interested are asked to contact the centre before February 17th, at e-mail rcc@indigo.ie or 1800 778888