The first case to be heard at special vacation sittings of Dublin Circuit Criminal Court went for trial yesterday, only to be adjourned for a week before any evidence was heard.
Judge Kevin Haugh asked the jury to return to the Four Courts on September 24th to begin the hearing of the case against a Dublin woman, Ms Linda Lee, who denies a shoplifting offence.
Earlier, in the jury's absence, the court was addressed by the prosecution counsel, Ms Patricia Moran, and by Mr Rex Mackey SC, defending.
In the day's only trial, Ms Lee (33), Seabury Park, Malahide, Co Dublin, pleaded not guilty to stealing a woman's leather jacket from a shop in Balbriggan, Co Dublin, on October 5th, 1996. The acting president of the Circuit Court, Judge Diarmuid Sheridan, said yesterday that it was hoped to deal with a large number of cases during these vacation sittings to shorten the heavy list facing the court in the new law term, which begins on October 6th.
