A round-up of today's other Ireland news in brief
Gardai discover woman's body in laneway
Gardaí are investigating the discovery of a woman's body in a laneway near Ballyporeen, Co Tipperary.
The body which was discovered shortly before 5pm yesterday, was not removed pending the arrival of the State pathologist this morning. The woman was not identified last night but was thought to be in her 50s.
The laneway was sealed off and crime scene examiners from the Garda Technical Bureau are to examine the scene this morning.
Fire crews fight Drogheda blaze
Fire crews in Drogheda spent most of last night damping down a blaze which destroyed two levels of the chambers of Drogheda Borough Council building, as well as the local authority’s housing and planning section.
Initial reports were that a member of the public saw flames coming from inside the 150-year-old red brick building shortly after 7pm.
Gardaí are expected to examine the scene this morning.
New challenge to detention
A woman who last week lost a High Court claim that her detention in a psychiatric hospital is unlawful has secured permission to bring another challenge.
The 69-year-old woman, who suffers from bipolar disorder, was admitted to the hospital on December 9th having been arrested by gardaí while out walking with her son. She took a High Court challenge to that detention, claiming that her arrest was unlawful.
She failed in those proceedings and then brought another challenge over a separate decision of the hospital to detain her despite a finding by an independent tribunal she was not suffering from a mental disorder which would have required her involuntary detention. She failed in those proceedings and last Friday her lawyers appealed to the Supreme Court.
Yesterday, the High Court granted her lawyers leave to bring fresh proceedings in which she is seeking orders quashing the hospital’s decision to refuse her release.
Murder conviction appeal rejected
A man has lost his appeal against his conviction for the murder of his former girlfriend on church grounds.
Raymond Donovan was found guilty in June 2006 of strangling Ann Walsh (23) to death in the grounds of St Senan’s church, Kilrush, Co Clare, on August 24th, 2005.
Donovan (26), New Houses, Cooraclare, Co Clare, who had denied the charge, received a life sentence.
The Court of Criminal Appeal yesterday rejected Donovan’s appeal against his conviction.
Brendan Nix SC, for Donovan, said the grounds of appeal included that the jury’s verdict of guilty of murder was perverse in light of the evidence. Donovan was very co-operative at all times and expressed remorse immediately for what he had done, he said.
Opposing the appeal, Isobel Kennedy SC, for the DPP, argued the conviction should remain undisturbed. Counsel said the jury had been properly charged by the trial judge and were entitled to return the verdict they had.
Rejecting all grounds of appeal, Ms Justice Fidelma Macken said the jury was entitled to bring in the verdict it had, given the evidence that was before it.
Solicitor filmed woman changing
A solicitor who filmed a woman changing in a leisure centre cubicle, was found guilty of attempted voyeurism.
Richie MacRitchie (33) used his mobile phone to record the victim for the intention of sexual gratification, Judge Fiona Bagnall ruled at Belfast Magistrates Court.
MacRitchie, who practises in Belfast and lives at Ardmullan, Omeath, Co Louth, was convicted of the new offence after originally being cleared of voyeurism. He will be sentenced next month.