A round-up of today's other stories in brief...
Man admits damaging RTÉ building
A man accused of causing criminal damage to the reception doors at RTÉ studios by driving his car into it, has pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Paul Stokes (52), of Montpelier Parade, Monkstown, admitted causing criminal damage to the RTÉ building on December 2nd last and causing a substantial risk of death or serious injury to another.
His guilty plea came just before a jury was sworn in for his trial. Judge Patricia Ryan remanded him for sentence later when evidence of the crime will be given. A nolle prosequi was also entered by the State on a further charge, that Stokes harassed RTÉ presenter Pat Kenny, on which he was due to stand trial next January.
Murder trial to begin today
The jury has been sworn in for the trial of a 25-year-old Cork man charged with killing his brother. Patrick Lynch, of Fairfield Square, Farranree, Cork city, denies murdering Peter Lynch (27), at Fairfield Square.
The trial will start this morning before the jury of seven women and five men at the Central Criminal Court.
Father denies abusing daughter
A jury has been sworn in at the Central Criminal Court for the trial of a Dublin father accused of sexually assaulting his daughter over 30 years ago.
The 61-year-old accused has pleaded not guilty to indecently assaulting his now 37-year-old daughter at their home on a date between 1973 and 1974.
Man sentenced for attempted buggery
A man who attempted to bugger a 15-year-old boy after he learned that the teenager was confused about his sexual orientation, has received a two-year sentence from Judge Michael White at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Peter Maguire (41) of Plunkett Crescent, Finglas, pleaded guilty to the attempted buggery of the teenager while he was staying with the boy's sister on September 16th, 2001.
Maguire pleaded with Judge White not to send him to jail because he said he was the only one who could care for his elderly mother.
Judge White said the courts have an obligation to protect children. The last year of the sentence was suspended.
Imported €16,000 of cocaine
A Meath man who was told his €1,300 drug debt would be "cleared" if he went to Madrid to collect a package, will be sentenced later for bringing cocaine into Ireland from Spain.
Collins Igweonu (35), Pace Road, Little Pace, Clonee pleaded guilty to having the cocaine, with an estimated street value of €16,000, for sale or supply at Dublin airport on June 21st last. Judge Patricia Ryan remanded Igweonu on continuing bail.
Heroin addict gets three years
One of Dublin's "early heroin addicts" has been jailed for three years for possession of heroin valued at €5,119 which he was caught preparing into street deals for distribution to drug dealers.
Myles Johnston (38), of Mariner Port, Sheriff Street Lower, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of the drugs at Connaught Street on April 18th, 2004.
Suspended term for stabbing colleague
A 52-year-old English man who stabbed a colleague and perforated his bowel during a drunken argument in Dublin, has been given a three-year suspended sentence after he paid his victim €10,000 compensation. Steve Warburton, from Halifax in Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to assaulting James Manly causing him harm on Talbot Street on January 16th, 2003.
Body found on hospital grounds
Police in the North are not treating as suspicious the death of a Polish man whose body had been hanging from a tree on hospital grounds for over three weeks.
The body of the 34-year-old man was found in a heavily shrubbed area of Craigavon Area Hospital, Co Armagh, on April 20th. He had been treated in the hospital on March 26th after which he left the hospital.
The man, who was identified from medical records, was reported missing on April 11th.
Adams shocked at death of councillor
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has expressed deep shock and sadness at the death of party councillor Michael McAnespie who died after he was gored by a bull on a farm in Co Tyrone.
Mr McAnespie, the 63-year-old Sinn Féin group leader on Omagh council, died after he was attacked by the bull on land near his home at Loughmacrory near Omagh. Married with nine children, Mr McAnespie regularly spoke on farming issues on the council.
Charged with attempted murder
A woman charged with attempted murder following a weekend stabbing in Rathcoole, Belfast, has been remanded in custody.
Marie McCrory (40), from Sunningdale Gardens in Belfast, spoke only once from the dock of Belfast Magistrate's Court to confirm she understood the nature of the charge against her. The charge arises from a knife attack in the Derrycoole Way area of Rathcoole which occurred around 3am on Saturday when a man received stab wounds to his chest. He was rushed to hospital where he was treated for what the PSNI described as "non life-threatening" injuries.
Guilty plea in piracy case
An expectant father who was caught with almost 800 pirate CDs and DVDs he was going to sell at a market in Wexford, has been remanded on bail pending sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Thomas Ward (20), of Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to possession of the copyright material at Cookstown Road, Tallaght, on June 19th, 2005.
Judge Katherine Delahunt adjourned sentencing to next October.
Fisherman rescued in Galway Bay
A Galway fisherman was rescued early yesterday when his vessel was stranded on rocks off Mutton Island in Galway Bay. The Galway RNLI inshore lifeboat was launched within minutes of receiving an alert from the Irish Coast Guard at 7.40am yesterday. The vessel was towed to safety and berthed in Galway docks.
Retired judge gets inspector role
Retired High Court judge Mr Justice Dermot Kinlen has been appointed as statutory inspector of prisons, Minister for Justice Michael McDowell has announced.
Mr Justice Kinlen has served as Inspector of Prisons on a non-statutory basis since April 2002.
Last year he strongly criticised the Minister and his department for failing to make statutory provision for an independent prisons inspector, in spite of promises by the Government.
Renewed appeal for Cork couple
Gardaí in Cork have issued a renewed appeal for information on a couple who vanished without trace 16 years ago yesterday. Conor and Sheila Dwyer, who were both in their 60s, lived at Chapel Hill, Fermoy, Co Cork. They were last seen at a funeral at St Patrick's Church in Fermoy on 30th, April 1991. Some days later gardaí were notified that the couple were missing.
Gardaí at Fermoy can be contacted at 025 82100. The Garda Confidential Line is at 1800 666 111.