Other stories in brief.
Threats case against Turk dismissed
The jury in the trial of a Turkish man charged with making threats to kill and demanding money with menaces has been directed to find him not guilty on all counts at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Ismail Guler (40), North Circular Road, Phibsboro, Dublin, had pleaded not guilty to four charges alleging threats to kill or harm and two charges of demanding money with menaces.
Judge Tomás Teehan directed the jury to find him not guilty on all six counts after an application from defence counsel Justin Dylan SC. Judge Teehan said the prosecution case was "so tenuous it was unsafe to allow the matter to continue".
Injured pipelayer gets €360,000
A pipelayer who claims he is unable to work and has a skull defect as a result of being struck on the head by a stone which dropped from a JCB truck has settled his action for damages for €360,000. Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne yesterday approved the settlement of the action brought by Seán Bennett, Newry, Co Down. The terms of settlement include an ex gratia payment of €360,000 to Mr Bennett by two of the defendants - Anthony Quinn, Mullaghbawn, Newry, and Pauline Bannon, trading as Contract Development Services, West Lothian, Scotland.
Man charged with IRA membership
A Dublin man was charged with IRA membership in the Special Criminal Court yesterday. Philip Bollard (22), The Park, Grange Manor, Lucan, was charged with membership on November 15th last. Mr Justice Paul Butler remanded him in custody until tomorrow when a bail application will be made.
Man cleared of sexual assaults
A Kildare man has been cleared by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of sexually assaulting his daughter over a number of years. The 59-year-old man had pleaded not guilty at the start of his trial to two counts of rape between 1976 and 1985 and eight counts of indecent assault between 1976 and 1982.
Three of the charges were ruled out earlier following legal argument in the absence of the jury and Mr Justice Barry White directed that "not guilty" verdicts be returned by the jury on one rape and two indecent assault counts.
The jury then acquitted him of one remaining rape count and six charges of indecent assault on the now 38-year-old woman.
IRA charge verdict on Friday
The verdict in the trial of a father of 10 accused of IRA membership is due to be delivered on Friday in the Special Criminal Court. Art Sherwin (55), Ballinagappa Road, Clane, Co Kildare, denies the charge.
Limerick protest over water scheme
Work on a water supply in Co Limerick was brought to a halt yesterday, when locals opposed to the scheme staged a protest in the middle of the night in an attempt to retain their existing water supply, which they say comes from a pure spring source at a nearby lake, Bleach Lough.
The protests took place at about 2.30am in the village of Kildimo when workers from Limerick County Council attempted to interconnect two local authority water supply mains.