A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Three-year term for sex assault
A 42-year-old Algerian national found guilty of sexually assaulting a teenage girl received a three-year prison sentence in his absence.
Gardaí said they were not aware of the whereabouts of Mohammed Djouadi, who had been on bail. Djouadi, of Brighton Square, Terenure, Dublin, had pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting the girl on July 17th, 2009.
A jury had found him guilty by a majority verdict.
Missing weapon prompts Naval Service inquiry
Gardaí and military police are investigating the disappearance of a gun and ammunition from on board a Naval Service vessel at the naval base at Haulbowline, Co Cork.
According to a Naval Service spokesman, a semi-automatic HK USP pistol, two empty magazines and 100 rounds of 9mm ammunition were found to be missing from the armoury on the LE Niamhduring a routine inspection on Thursday.
Gardaí from Cobh are leading the investigation with assistance from military police from the Army and Naval Service.
Ryanair print charges 'illegal'
Ryanair has been told it is illegally charging passengers who fail to print their own boarding passes before arriving at an airport.
A Spanish judge ruled the airline was duty bound to print boarding passes for passengers free of charge.
The budget routinely imposes fines of €40 for customers who turn up at check-in without having previously printed their boarding passes.
Coroner to write to federation of hotels after man dies from fall
A CORONER is to write to the Irish Hotels Federation following the tragic death of a man who suffered a “devastating” injury when he fell down the stairwell of a Georgian hotel where he was staying.
Aidan Feeney (48), of Chaussee de Vieurgat, Brussels, fell into the basement of the Trinity Lodge Hotel, South Frederick Street, Dublin 2, on the evening of December 20th, 2009,
after returning from a Christmas lunch at a friend’s home.
Coroner Dr Brian Farrell recorded a verdict of accidental death. “It is that fall from the stairway that caused Mr Feeney’s death. It is an accidental fall at the hotel,” the coroner said.
Former garda grew cannabis at home
A former Garda sergeant was given a suspended jail sentence yesterday for growing cannabis at his home.
Finbarr Hickey (51), from Muchgrange, Greenore, Co Louth, pleaded guilty at Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court to cultivating cannabis without a licence, at that address, on February 19th, 2009.
In 2001 Hickey was jailed for one year at the Special Criminal Court after he pleaded guilty to forgery charges which related to signing passports when he was a member of the Garda, the court was told yesterday.
Dublin woman settles injury claim
A Dublin woman who was injured when she fell after catching her foot in a plastic binding strap while walking past a house where construction was under way has settled her High Court action.
Philomena Doyle (58), Ballinteer Park, sued Shale Construction Ltd, Avondale Court, Blackrock, Dublin, over the accident on June 15th, 2005.
The company was refurbishing a house at Carysfort Downs, Blackrock.
Ms Doyle claimed that, as a result of the fall, she had been left with ongoing pain that has drastically reduced her social life.