Dublin city death under investigation

Gardaí in Dublin are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a 21-year-old woman who collapsed at around 11.…

Gardaí in Dublin are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a 21-year-old woman who collapsed at around 11.30am on Dame Street yesterday morning.

She was taken by ambulance to St James's Hospital but was declared dead a short time later. A post-mortem will be carried out.

A Garda spokesman said there was no reason to suspect foul play.

Raid on Bray building society

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Thieves armed with a sawn-off shotgun held up a building society in Bray, Co Wicklow yesterday morning at around 11.20am and made off with a sum of cash.

A man who entered the premises on the Main Street threatened staff with the firearm while an accomplice waited outside on a motorcycle.

Gardaí say the raiders were last seen on King Edward Road turning left onto Church Road.

According to witnesses, the man who entered the building was wearing a black motorcycle helmet with a black balaclava underneath, blue jeans and white runners with black strips on the laces. He carried a courier type bag over his shoulder.

Gardaí have appealed for witnesses.

Drugs smuggled inside car tyres

Drugs worth £750,000 were smuggled into Northern Ireland from Amsterdam inside the tyres of an off-road vehicle, Belfast High Court heard yesterday.

Two wheels of a Vauxhall Frontera had been removed and 36 packages of cannabis were lying beside a slashed open tyre when Drugs Squad detectives swooped on a house at Stoneyford, near Lisburn, the court heard.

Mr Liam Patrick Young (27) from Avonmere, Craigavon, was remanded in custody earlier this week on charges of possessing the drugs with intent to supply.

Rapist (40) jailed for teenage sex

A 40-year-old convicted rapist who answered a text message sent accidentally by a 15-year-old girl and then started a sexual relationship with her has been jailed for three years by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Alan Kiernan of Larkhill Road, Whitehall, pleaded guilty to unlawful carnal knowledge of the girl on dates between December 1st, 2001 and December 31st, 2002 and criminal damage to a vehicle on December 1st, 2001.

Derry man (70) faces sex offences

A 70-year-old man from the city side area of Derry appeared before the local Magistrates' Court yesterday charged with committing twelve sex offences against two young girls.

Resident Magistrate Mr Barney McElholme returned the defendant for trial to the city's Crown Court on May 26th on his own bail of £1,000.

Stud owner's case adjourned

The case against Mr John Mulhern of Meadowcourt Stud, Maddenstown, Co Kildare, for alleged breaches of company law has been adjourned indefinitely.

Kildare District Court was told yesterday the Director of Corporate Affairs had issued judicial review proceedings.

The Director's legal team yesterday asked for an adjournment, which was consented to by Mr Mulhern's defence.

Drug addict to do community hours

A heroin addict who burgled a house and then returned some days later with a pickaxe and spade to try to break open a safe is to carry out 240 hours community service.

Robert Kealy (31), Rathfarnham, Dublin, pleaded guilty to committing the offences on August 17th and 19th, 2002.