A round-up of today's other stories in brief...
Garda error did not make arrest unlawful in ‘drunk in charge’ case
A mistake by a garda in arresting a man in Co Wicklow for “drunk driving” under the Road Traffic Act instead of “drunk in charge” of a car did not render the arrest unlawful, the Supreme Court has ruled.
The court was deciding legal issues arising from the arrest of Gerard O’Neill while seated in a stationary car, with its engine running, in the middle of the Wexford road at Arklow at 11.42pm on September 30th, 2005. Mr O’Neill, Adamstown, Co Wexford, was arrested under the section of the Act which relates to “drink driving”, rather than the section which relates to “drunk in charge” of a vehicle. The arrest was bona fide and the garda’s opinion that Mr O’Neill was attempting to drive and was unfit to drive due to the consumption of alcohol was reasonable, Mrs Justice Susan Denham said.
Economist denies avoiding colleagues
A Central Bank economist has told the High Court he had not withdrawn from social interaction with his colleagues prior to being asked by management to see a psychiatrist.
John Delaney (48) said he had avoided going to the bank's morning "coffee zone" because he was in dispute with one of his managers.
He also denied avoiding lunch in the bank's in-house restaurant. He said he was a daily communicant, and went to Mass during lunch. A married father of three, he wants the court to declare his employers had improperly influenced a psychiatrist who produced a report stating he had a personality disorder.
He claims the report was flawed and led to him being put on sick leave from July 2008. Another psychiatrist had found he did not suffer from any disorder, the court has heard.
Under cross-examination by Marguerite Bolger, for the bank, he was asked whether he knew his colleagues and management had concerns about his behaviour. He said it was never mentioned to him. The case continues.
Court overturns residency refusal
A Turkish man and Polish woman who married here in 2009 have won a High Court order overturning the Department of Justice's refusal to grant a temporary residence card to the man.
The court ruled assertions by department officials of being "unable to verify" the woman was employed here were not a valid reason to refuse the application in the circumstances. The man applied for the card on the basis he was a family member of an EU citizen.
Man tried to sell stolen car to gardaí
A man was caught with two stolen cars after putting his phone number on the window of one of them in an effort to sell it, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard.
Gardaí found the stolen car outside a pub and rang the number, saying they wanted to buy it. Paul Lawrence (26), Hamilton Bridge, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, arrived later driving another stolen car and was arrested. Judge Tony Hunt imposed a two-year term but suspended it on strict conditions.