A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Homeless teenager raped woman
An 18-year-old has been convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of raping a Dublin woman.
Bereket Mekonnen, a homeless Eritrean national, was found guilty by the jury after a 14-day trial of raping the 42-year-old woman near St Stephen's Green on August 3rd, 2005.
Ms Justice Maureen Clark, who remanded him in custody for sentence later, directed that a victim impact report should be prepared. She also directed that Mekonnen be registered as a sex offender.
Mekonnen met the victim in a late-night disco-bar where she was in an intoxicated state. She drank some of his wine before leaving for home. He raped her while she was going home.
Two jailed on gun charges
Two Clondalkin men found in a car with a shotgun and ammunition in the Finglas area have been jailed for five years each by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Desmond Kenna (23), of Harelawn Avenue, and David Canning (36), of Harelawn Green, pleaded guilty to possession of a shotgun, shotgun cartridges, a can of "mace" and an extendable baton at Cappagh Road, Finglas on July 4th, 2004.
Man had bullets and blank rounds
A Finglas man who has received 47 convictions since turning to drink and drugs after being made redundant has been sentenced to three years' imprisonment for possession of ammunition.
Trevor Walsh (32), of Valley Park Road, admitted possessing eight blank fire rounds and two aluminium alloy bullets without a certificate on April 26th, 2004, at Finglas Road.
Judge Patricia Ryan imposed the three-year sentence, suspending the last year on conditions. She backdated the sentence to November 14th, 2006, suspending the final year on condition that Kelly attends a drug treatment programme.
Equipment used to launder oil
A man has been found guilty by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury of owning banned equipment that was being used in a oil- laundering operation in Co Meath.
Martin Joyce (38) of Dunsink Lane, Finglas, had denied the charge. Judge Desmond Hogan remanded Joyce on bail and adjourned sentencing to a date next May.
Speeding biker on wrong side
A Ballymun man who drove a stolen motorcycle at speeds of up to 160km/h on the wrong side of the road on the M1 flyover at Coolock while being pursued by gardaí has had his sentence adjourned.
Joseph Kelly (22), of Balcurris Road pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to driving a stolen motorcycle at Santry Avenue and to three counts of dangerous driving on June 6th, 2005.
Prisoner escapes from courthouse
A remand prisoner escaped from Waterford courthouse yesterday.
Derek Dunphy, of Clonard Park, Ballybeg, had been in custody at Cork prison.
He has outstanding charges including criminal damage, drunk driving, and robbery and was being escorted to the toilet when he escaped.