A round-up of today's other stories in brief
HSE seeks court intervention
The parents of a four-year-old boy who has Down’s syndrome and leukaemia are refusing to allow him receive life-saving treatment in a hospital, the HSE has told the High Court. The parents want the child to receive alternative treatment, the court was told.
The HSE yesterday obtained permission from the President of the High Court Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns to serve notice on the parents that proceedings are being brought challenging their decision.
The application was made on an ex-parte basis — one side only.
Mr Justice Kearns granted the HSE permission to serve the papers on the parents at short notice and said the matter could come before him again next week.
Patient died after falling from bed
A Dublin grandmother died after falling from her hospital bed, an inquest has heard. Nora Phelan (85), of Sutton, Co Dublin, was recovering from pelvic pain at the Mater private hospital when she tried to climb out of her bed to retrieve her crutches. She fell, hitting her chin.
Denise Scully, a night nurse manager at the time of the incident, said Mrs Phelan was “alert and aware” following the fall.
A neck injury only became manifest several hours later, and she died on May 14th, 2009.
Coroner Dr Brian Farrell recorded a verdict of accidental death, saying “ the fall caused the neck injury and in turn the pneumonia”.
Drugs 'mule' had heroin in cart
A drugs “mule” used a horse and cart to transport heroin in the city centre, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard.
Darren Swaine (21) received a suspended sentence after being caught with €8,272 worth of the drug that he had just picked up on Cork Street. The court heard he was forced to transport the drugs to repay a man from whom he had stolen a horse.
Swaine, St Theresa’s Gardens, Dublin 8, pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs for sale or supply on July 23rd, 2009, on Donore Avenue. Judge Yvonne Murphy imposed a three-year term, suspended in full for three years on conditions.
Challenge over search warrant
A man has brought a High Court challenge over a warrant used to search his home during a Garda investigation into an alleged conspiracy to murder a Swedish cartoonist who drew the prophet Muhammed with the body of a dog.
Ali Charaf Damache (45), a native of Algeria, with an address at John Colwyn House, High Street, Waterford, has claimed it was unconstitutional for a senior garda involved in that investigation to issue a warrant to search his home on March 9th, 2010.
Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns yesterday reserved judgment on the proceedings.