A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Man to face retrial on rape charge
The Court of Criminal Appeal has overturned the conviction of a building worker for rape. A retrial was ordered in the case of Philip Murphy (27), a father of three, Elmbrook Crescent, Lucan, and Lindisfarne Vale, Clondalkin.
He was found guilty in July 2006 at the Central Criminal Court of raping the woman in his car after offering her a lift to work in June 2005.
He was jailed for 11 years by Mr Justice Paul Carney, who also placed him on the sex offenders register.
Yesterday, the three- judge appeal court with Mr Justice Adrian Hardiman presiding and sitting with Mr Justice Kevin Feeney and Mr Justice Brian McGovern, said the court would set aside the conviction and ordered a retrial.
The appeal court heard claims that the trial judge had erred in not giving a warning in relation to certain evidence during his charge to the jury.
Drugs term halved to three years
The Court of Criminal Appeal has halved the six-year sentence imposed on a former Dublin minor hurler for possessing €44,000 worth of cannabis resin.
Patrick Casey (19), Casino Park, Marino, had pleaded guilty last May to possession of the drugs for sale or supply in August 2006.
He was jailed for six years at Dublin Circuit Court by Judge Katherine Delahunt.
Casey appealed against the severity of that sentence and the three judges agreed the sentence was excessive and substituted it with an effective three-year sentence.
Mr Justice Adrian Hardiman said Judge Delahunt had erred by not fully taking into account all mitigating circumstances when imposing six years.
Mulhall appeal set for March 11th
The Court of Criminal Appeal has fixed March 11th to hear the appeal by Charlotte Mulhall against her conviction for the murder of her mother's boyfriend, whose body was cut up and parts dumped in the Royal Canal in Dublin.
Mulhall (25), Kilclare Heights, Tallaght, was convicted in October 2006 of the murder of Farah Swaleh Noor on March 20th 2005 and jailed for life.
Her sister Linda was found guilty of manslaughter and was jailed for 15 years.
Earlier this month, the appeal court ruled that the Central Criminal Court erred in imposing that sentence without having seen probation and psychiatric reports on Linda Mulhall and the appeal court said it would consider those reports itself before deciding on the appropriate sentence in her case.
Badly burned body found in Galway
Gardaí in Ballinasloe, Co Galway, have confirmed that an unidentified body was found in the grounds of a house in the town yesterday.
The body was found in a shed in a housing estate in the town. It was badly burned, and so far gardaí have been unable to confirm whether it was male or female.
Meanwhile, a search is still continuing for a missing local man, but gardaí said that there was as yet no evidence to link the two cases.
Gardaí have issued an appeal for information in relation to the whereabouts of Richard Carrick (28) of St Joseph's Place, Ballinasloe, Co Galway, who has not been seen since the early hours of Saturday, February 16th last.