More court-related news in brief.
Sentence for toddler assault suspended
A Co Louth man (23), convicted of assaulting a 14-month-old boy he was babysitting, has been given a nine-month suspended sentence on condition that he pays the victim €5,000.
The defendant was the boyfriend of the boy's mother at the time of the assault on October 15th, 2004. He cannot be named to protect the child's identity. He claimed during a two-day trial that he only signed a confession because pressure had been put on him. The jury returned a guilty verdict on Friday.
Judge Pat McCartan said striking an infant of 14 months was indefensible. However, there was no suggestion other than in this case that the defendant had not been a good and caring person to the child.
He was satisfied there was no likelihood of it happening again and the child had made a full recovery. "We are all entitled to one chance," the judge said. In this case, he did not believe there was any merit to sending the accused to prison immediately.
"You are otherwise a remarkably resilient young man. I exhort you to put the matter behind you and get on with your life. You've overcome circumstances which would bring another person down."
Two years jail for stolen cheques
A heroin addict who used stolen cheques to open a bank account in his name and to buy expensive electronic equipment has been jailed for two years by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Seán Cummins (27), Kilbarrack, Dublin, pleaded guilty to falsely using AIB cheques in north Dublin in June 2003.
Jailed for assault on woman
A Frenchman who came to Ireland with friends for St Patrick's Day is now serving a three-month sentence in Castlerea following his conviction for sexual assault.
Guillaume Terree (25), Lourdes, pleaded guilty at Galway District Court to assaulting the young woman as she stood smoking on Quay Street, Galway, on March 19th.
Insp John Galvin said that while Terree had been arrested, a friend of his, who had escaped Garda detection, was more culpable as this man had come up behind the woman, had put his hand in between her legs and grabbed her.
Terree had also grabbed her but not to the same extent as the unknown man. The woman, the inspector said, had been hurt in the assault.
Defence solicitor Adrian MacLynn said his client was sorry and wanted to pay compensation. The woman, who was in court with her parents, declined.
Two held after hostel protest
Two asylum seekers were arrested for public order offences yesterday when up to 100 people blocked a busy road into Cork city in protest at conditions at their hostel.
An African man and an Iraqi woman were arrested for public order offences and brought to Togher Garda station. Both were expected to be released last night.
According to one protester, residents had been unhappy for some time about the food that they were being served and the general living conditions at the hostel, which is operated on behalf of the Reception and Integration Agency.
They had attempted, she said, to raise the issue but the general manager of the facility was unavailable for the past three days and the protest was undertaken to highlight their grievances.
Man on murder charge in Belfast
A man has been charged with murdering a woman who was a regular visitor to his home in north Belfast.
Nelson Watson (59), Clanmorris Street in Tiger's Bay was charged at the Magistrates Court with murdering Barbara June Taggart (42), who was rescued from a fire in his home on Saturday and died the next day in hospital. Mr Watson was remanded in custody until April 26th.