In Short

A round up of today's other court stories in brief...

A round up of today's other court stories in brief...

Blackwater warning after boy drowns

A warning about dangerous undercurrents in the River Blackwater has been made following the drowning of a 14-year-old boy near Fermoy, Co Cork. A postmortem examination was carried out yesterday on the body of Martin Duggan jnr from Emmet Place in the town.

He was pulled underwater by the current when he went swimming in the river near the local rowing club with friends.

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The incident occurred shortly before 5.30pm on Thursday. Locals say the stretch of river where he drowned can be quite dangerous as it has lethal undercurrents.

Funeral arrangements have yet to be finalised.

Cork-based Supt Con Cadogan has urged young people not to swim in the river in Fermoy as parts of it have lethal undercurrents.

Woman jailed for credit card fraud

A young woman who used stolen credit card numbers to buy more than €8,000 worth of beauty products has been jailed for 10 months.

Anita Hayes (28), Delmege Park, Moyross, pleaded guilty at Limerick District Court to 24 charges under the Justice, Theft and Fraud Offences Act.

The mother of two admitted obtaining the goods by deception in 24 transactions between March 27th and May 24th last.

Judge O'Donnell was told that only €300 worth of the items were recovered as Ms Hayes had sold the other products.

The court heard that the items were purchased from a self-employed woman who operated a beauty salon.

Judge O'Donnell said he had to take into account that this woman's business could be in jeopardy because of the loss she had suffered.

He would be failing in his duty if he did not impose a custodial sentence for an offence which was "as brazen as you can get".

Girl (15) remanded in custody

A troubled 15-year-old schoolgirl, who was a passenger in a stolen car which twice rammed gardaí, has been remanded in custody after breaking her probation.

The Children's Court had been told earlier that the west Dublin girl suffered from depression and had been under the negative influence of a group of adult males, which had caused her mother great concern. Her mother did not know the names of these men and had been seeking assistance from social services.

Judge Bryan Smyth was told by girl's probation officer said that she had great concerns for her as she had not been taking her medication.

"Her mother is very concerned as she has no idea where she is staying when she leaves."

Judge Smyth remanded the girl in custody to Oberstown Girls' Centre for one week.

€6m expansion for Mayo firm

A south Mayo software company has initiated a €6 million development plan at its headquarters.

CBE Claremorris, which manufactures and develops software for the retail sector, says it is expanding its research centre at the IDA Business Park in the town.

The company, which started with three staff in 1980, now employs 110 people.

It claims to be the first company in the world to have developed software which allows mobile telephone credit top-ups to be sold through retail tills.