A round-up of today's other court stories in brief
Hospital fined €16,000 after death of chef
Fines totalling €16,000 have been levied against Simpson's Hospital in Dublin arising out of the death of a chef following an accident in the nursing home. Shaun Kerrigan (45) was cleaning debris out of the bottom of the shaft of the dumb-waiter when it was called from another floor. He fell, and his head and chest were crushed.
Leslie Shiels, chairman of the board of trustees, pleaded guilty on behalf of Simpson's Hospital, Wyckham, Ballinteer Road, Dundrum, to failing to prepare an assessment of risk regarding health and safety associated with the cleaning of the lift pit, and failing to provide a system of work for cleaning it on January 12th, 2004.
Judge Katherine Delahunt described the accident as "appalling" and "very freakish". She said the court was not placing a monetary value on Mr Kerrigan's life but imposing a penalty on the trustees for their failure.
She said this was not a situation in which corners had been cut, and fined the trustees a total of €16,000 for breaches of health and safety regulations.
Drug dealer fails to access money
A convicted drug dealer left €40,000 in cash in his car at Dublin airport while on a trip to Amsterdam, a court heard yesterday.
Richard Ferguson (43), Old Gransha Road, Bangor, Co Down, failed to prevent the continued detention of the cash, pending investigations into whether it is the proceeds of crime.
Dublin District Court heard he was on his way back from Amsterdam on November 25th last when customs officers stopped him. A search of his car in the car park revealed a small amount of drugs and the cash.
The court heard he was given a four-year sentence for having 15kg of cannabis at Rosslare port in 1996.
Judge Brian Sheridan granted a three-month extension to the order.
Farmer seeks to restrain cattle sale
Tipperary farmer John Hanrahan has brought High Court proceedings aimed at restraining the sale, due to proceed today, of some 150 cattle removed from his farm by Department of Agriculture officials last month.
Mr Justice Roderick Murphy yesterday adjourned the injunction application for a week after Noel Whelan SC gave an undertaking, on behalf of the department, not to sell the animals during that time.
Council opposes developer fee cut
Cork City Council has brought a High Court challenge to a decision by An Bord Pleanála to reduce from €4.3 million to €2.6 million a public facility contribution sought by the council from a developer.
The contribution was sought from O'Flynn Construction Company for a mixed-use residential office and retail development on a 1.24-hectare site in Cork.
In proceedings before Mr Justice Peter Kelly, the council applied to have the board's decision quashed. The hearing concluded yesterday and judgment was reserved.
Court refuses to cut ex-mayor's term
The Court of Criminal Appeal has refused to reduce a five-year prison sentence imposed on John Fahy, an 86-year-old former mayor of Oughterard, Co Galway, who raped and sexually assaulted five girls when they were aged between seven and 16.