A round-up to today's other court stories in brief
Jury at 2000 murder trial to retire today
The jury at the trial of a Co Cork man accused of the rape and murder of Rachel Kiely is expected to retire this afternoon. The man, now 22, who was 16 at the time, has denied raping and murdering Ms Kiely (22) at the Regional Park, Ballincollig, on October 26th, 2000. He has admitted manslaughter.
At the Central Criminal Court yesterday, Brendan Grehan, defending, said that the defence was not going into evidence.
Patrick McCarthy, prosecuting, said that the death of Ms Kiely was not a spur-of-the-moment event and there was some degree of planning. He argued that a clear, unambiguous case had been established.
Rape trial delayed by lack of judge
The trial of a Kerry man charged with kidnap and rape has been delayed because no judge was available at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin.
The 23-year-old accused man has pleaded not guilty to raping and falsely imprisoning a woman in October 2004 in a car park.
Mr Justice Barry White apologised to the jury and said that Mr Justice Henry Abbott would be free to hear the case today.
Man gets 4 years for storing drugs
An alcoholic who agreed to store cannabis valued at €335,000 for "the price of a few pints" has been given a four-year sentence by Judge Desmond Hogan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Peter Bennett (52), Canal Road, Rathmines, Dublin, pleaded guilty to having the drug for sale or supply in June 2004.
Heroin addict jailed for robbery
A heroin addict who robbed a building society with an imitation firearm and was later the drunk driver of a stolen car which was involved in two accidents has been given a four-year sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Christopher Fox (25), Priorswood, Coolock, pleaded guilty to robbery of the EBS, Main Street, Blackrock, in September 2004, and to car theft in Howth in June 2005.
Judge Katherine Delahunt suspended the final year of his sentence and banned him from driving for three years.
Victim's sister awarded €29,000
The sister of an epileptic man who died from serious head injuries following a suspected hit-and-run has been awarded more than €29,000 damages by Mr Justice Matthew Deery at the Circuit Civil Court.
Patrick Vickers (61), who was single and lived in an old people's home in Artane, Dublin, died on May 27th 2001 after sustaining severe head injuries on Raheny Road, Dublin. His sister, Ann Byrne, of Briarfield Road, Kilbarrack, was seeking damages for negligence and breach of duty from the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland.
Chinese jailed for credit card fraud
A member of a Dublin- based Chinese gang, who was found in possession of nine cloned credit cards, which he used to fraudulently buy items to order, has been jailed at Galway Circuit Criminal Court for 15 months.
Zing Zhao (25) pleaded guilty to 23 charges.