In Short

A round-up of today's other stories in brief.

A round-up of today's other stories in brief.

Two acquitted of attempted murders

Two men from Dublin who were charged with triple attempted murder were acquitted on all charges yesterday.

Martin McDonagh (31) and Patrick McDonagh (42) sat crying as the jury of nine men and three women returned their verdicts before Mr Justice Paul Carney in the Central Criminal Court.

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The cousins, from Dunsink Lane, Finglas, Dublin, were charged with the attempted murder of Robert Gavin, John Gavin and Patrick Gavin at St Dominic's Park, Belcamp Lane, Coolock, on New Year's Day 2005.

After deliberating for nearly two hours the jury found them not guilty on all charges, including possessing a shotgun and intentionally or recklessly causing harm to Robert Gavin on the same day.

The families had been feuding over a damaged caravan, the court heard during the eight-day trial.

Judgment reserved in conspiracy case

The High Court has reserved judgment on an attempt by a Co Louth man to stop his retrial on a conspiracy charge connected with the Real IRA Omagh bombing.

Counsel for the DPP yesterday rejected claims that Colm Murphy's right to a fair and speedy trial has been prejudiced by delays in his prosecution and argued that Mr Murphy is debarred from raising delay because he had agreed to many of the adjournments of the case.

Mr Murphy (53), a building contractor and publican who is a native of Co Armagh but with an address at Jordan's Corner, Ravensdale, Co Louth, was freed on bail in 2005 after the Court of Criminal Appeal quashed his conviction and 14-year sentence for a conspiracy offence connected with the Real IRA bombing of Omagh in 1998 in which 29 people died.

The appeal court overturned the conviction and ordered a retrial after finding that the court of trial - the non-jury Special Criminal Court - had failed to give proper regard to altered Garda interview notes.

Judge adjourns assault sentencing

A Swords man who threatened to kill a prison officer and his children after being refused a McDonald's dinner has had his sentence adjourned by Judge Patricia Ryan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Paul O'Shea (20) with addresses at Owensilla and at Silloge Avenue, Ballymun, claimed he had taken four sleeping tablets, had blanked out and had no recollection when he told prison officer Derek Bray he would shoot him and his family.

O'Shea pleaded guilty to assaults on prison officers Paul Byrne and Mr Bray at Swords Courthouse on May 17th, 2006, and to threatening to kill or cause serious harm to Mr Bray.

Sex assault appeal dismissed

The Court of Criminal Appeal has dismissed an appeal by a man against his conviction for sexually assaulting an "almost unconscious" woman as she lay in bed at a party in the man's home.

In December 2005, Chaene Onumwere (20), Belvedere Place, Dublin, was found guilty by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of sexually assaulting the then 22-year-old woman at his home on June 18th, 2004. He was jailed for six years and placed on the sex offenders' register by Judge Frank O'Donnell.