A 19 year-old Limerick man, who walked free from a court last year after a murder trial collapsed, was jailed for five months yesterday on charges relating to a stolen motorbike.
Liam Keane, Singland Gardens, Ballysimon, Limerick, walked free from the Central Criminal Court in Dublin last November, where he had been accused of the murder of 19-year-old Eric Leamy in August 2001.
The trial collapsed after three witnesses denied making statements to gardaí identifying Keane as the killer of Eric Leamy.
Yesterday, Insp Pat Connolly told the court that Keane was arrested last Wednesday after the motorbike he was driving struck a ditch. Keane was very abusive when he was taken to Henry Street Garda station where he then refused to provide a breath sample, he said.
He was sentenced to five months in prison on a charge of using the motorbike without lawful permission and was banned from driving for four years.
He also received concurrent sentences of four and three months on charges of abusive behaviour and refusing to give a sample.