A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Cadburys sold unsafe chocolates
The world's largest confectionery group, Cadbury Schweppes plc, has pleaded guilty to charges of selling unsafe chocolate, writes Georgina O'Halloran.
The Birmingham-based company detected salmonella in a batch of chocolate on June 19th, 2006, but it did not admit the problem until June 23rd.
Chocolate bars worth more than €1 million were subsequently recalled from the market.
During a prosecution brought by Birmingham City Council against Cadbury Schweppes plc yesterday for putting unsafe chocolates on shop shelves and for failing to inform the relevant authorities when it became aware of the problem, the company admitted that it did not inform the relevant authorities because it believed that there was no health and safety threat to the public.
It admitted yesterday that this was a mistake.
The unsafe chocolate was contaminated by the food poisoning bacterium due to a leaking pipe at a Cadbury plant in Marlbrook, Herefordshire.
A decision on the case is expected on July 13th.
Thornton Hall decision reserved
A High Court judge has reserved his decision on an application by a local man for an injunction halting works for the proposed new prison at Thornton Hall in north Co Dublin.
Michael Kavanagh, Kilsallaghan, Co Dublin, is also seeking an injunction to prevent the awarding of a €29 million tender for the construction of the prison.
After hearing almost three days of legal submissions yesterday, Mr Justice Thomas Smyth reserved judgment.
Man jailed over ecstasy haul
A Dublin City Council employee whose cocaine habit made him "an ideal candidate" for use by criminals in a €350,000 ecstasy operation has been sentenced to six years in jail with three suspended by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
John Byrne (26), Park Terrace, the Coombe, was paid €1,000 to collect a tyre containing almost 50,000 ecstasy tablets from Dún Laoghaire and was to be paid a further €1,000 later.
Byrne, a crew leader with the council, pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs for sale or supply on December 20th, 2004.
He had no previous convictions.
Judge Katherine Delahunt accepted Garda evidence that Byrne was "very much on the bottom rung of criminal activity" and acknowledged that his plea of guilty was of "great assistance to the State".
She was satisfied that the mandatory minimum sentence should not be applied in this case.
'Unusual' dealer sent to prison
A separated father who started spending €200 a day on cocaine "after the disintegration of his family life" has been sentenced to three years in prison by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for drug dealing.
Karl Sheldrick (43), St James's Wood, South Circular Road, Dublin, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine worth €10,300 and cannabis resin worth €1,130 for sale or supply at the rented apartment on June 13th, 2005.
Judge Katherine Delahunt described the case as "very unusual" and suspended two years of the three-year term.
Sheldrick had no previous convictions.