In Short

More courts news in brief.

More courts news in brief.

Abuse case told of letter to inspector

A parish priest told a school inspector in a letter in 1973 that a Franciscan brother had been interfering with schoolchildren but that the interference was "not under the clothes", the High Court heard yesterday.

Michael Cooke, a retired Department of Education school inspector, said he had received a short letter in June 1973 from a canon concerning Brother John Hannon, who has since left the order, against whom allegations had been made of interfering with a number of girls at a primary school in Galway.

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Mr Cooke said the canon had written that he had spoken to some of the girls and he, the canon, was satisfied Hannon had been interfering with them but "not under the clothes".

The witness was giving evidence in the continuing action by a man, now a father in his early 40s, against the Franciscan Order and the State for damages. The man claims that, while he was a pupil at the same national school referred to by Mr Cooke, he was abused more than 250 times by Hannon between 1969 and 1972.

Hannon (65) was released from prison on last October last after serving a 10-year sentence on indecent assault charges in relation to other children.

The hearing continues.

Sentenced for assaulting garda

An Englishman who assaulted a garda after throwing away a package of cocaine, has been jailed for two years by Judge Michael White at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Tomas Price (21), Charlemont Road East, London, pleaded guilty to having the cocaine valued at €8,000 for sale or supply and to assaulting Det Sgt Colm Church on August 22nd, 2003, causing him harm.

The court heard Price had 12 previous English convictions for offences including tendering counterfeit currency, and perverting the course of justice.

Addict's prison term reduced

A chronic heroin addict has had the balance of an 11-year sentence suspended by Judge Yvonne Murphy at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court because of his "very positive progress" on treatment.

Neil Fallon (42), previously of Ennafort Road, Raheny, Dublin was originally given a nine-and-a-half year suspended sentence on July 29th, 1998 but had to leave the family home when he went back on heroin. He then committed two further robberies on November 6th and 11th, 1998, in which he used a knife and a meat cleaver, to fund a drugs debt.

Judge Kieran O'Connor imposed an 11-year sentence on March 5th, 1999 and Fallon was given an additional three-year sentence on July 30th, 2000 by Judge Murphy for robbing a handbag after he had again been given release on conditions.

Jailed for attack in city nightclub

A man who smashed a pint glass over the head of a fellow nightclubber was jailed for two months yesterday after a judge said his offer of €1,000 compensation was "derisory".

Abdul Forgane (32), a Libyan who obtained asylum status here three years ago, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to a 27-year-old man in the Village nightclub, Wexford Street, Dublin, on November 14th last year.