A round-up of other court stories in brief...
Judge finds crime book is in contempt
Some material in a book by Sunday World crime correspondent Paul Williams entitled Crime Wars, now on sale, is in contempt of court orders and there will be consequences if it remains on sale, a High Court judge said.
Mr Justice Brian McGovern made findings of criminal contempt of court orders against two newspaper editors: Colin McGinty of the Sunday World, and Des Gibson of Star on Sunday; two journalists, Williams of the Sunday World and Ken Foy of the Star on Sunday; two newspaper publishers, Independent Star Ltd, publisher of the Star on Sunday, and Sunday News Ltd, publisher of the Sunday World.
He made a similar finding of criminal contempt against Merlin Books Ltd, publisher of Williams's book Crime Wars.
The judge adjourned to January 13th consideration of what sanction he would impose as a result of the findings of criminal contempt. The contempt orders were sought by John O'Donnell SC, instructed by solicitor Joe Burke of McCartan Burke solicitors, for two of four persons against whom proceedings have been brought by the Criminal Assets Bureau.
Man pleads guilty in child porn case
A former civil servant who downloaded child pornographic images described as "amongst the worst that have ever come before the courts" has been given a two-year suspended sentence on strict conditions.
Gerard McMahon (53), a divorced father of six, with an address at Richmond Apartments, North Brunswick Street, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty to five counts of possession of child pornography on dates in March 2002.
Judge Yvonne Murphy at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court noted positive reports from the Granada Institute and psychiatric services where McMahon has been receiving treatment over the past year.
Det Sergeant James Madden told Ms Martina Baxter BL, prosecuting, that the images were of "a graphic and horrific nature."
Woman was 'look-out' in raid
A Wicklow mother who acted as "a look-out" for her ex-boyfriend when he stole over €40,000 worth of designer items from a Dún Laoghaire boutique will be sentenced next year.
Sonia Kennedy (26) of Coiscairne, Old Connaught Avenue, Bray, was caught on CCTV aiding the thief while he stole jewellery, sunglasses and jeans valued €42,000, from Seagreen in Monkstown Crescent. Judge Tony Hunt postponed sentencing for a probation and welfare report.
Life sentence reduced
The Court of Criminal Appeal has reduced to 15 years the life sentence imposed on a Dublin man for the attempted murder of a security guard who was shot in the head.
The appeal court altered the sentence after finding the trial judge who sentenced Darren Larkin should have distinguished between the offence of murder and attempted murder before imposing the life sentence.
Larkin (24), of no fixed address, was found guilty at the Central Criminal Court in May 2007 of attempting to murder Akef Alquasar (49) in the early hours of February 20th, 2006, at the Leisureplex in Dublin's Blanchardstown.
At the appeal court yesterday Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns said the trial judge was mistaken in his approach to the sentence.