A round-up of today's other stories in brief...
Man questioned on Saulite released
A Dublin man who was being questioned by gardaí about the murder in November of Latvian woman Baiba Saulite (28) has been released without charge. A file is being prepared for the DPP.
The 26-year-old man was arrested at his home in Finglas on Tuesday morning. He was taken to Coolock Garda station where he was questioned under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act before being released at about 9am yesterday.
Gardaí believe the shooting of Ms Saulite, a mother of two, at her home in Swords, Co Dublin, was a contract killing carried out by a west Dublin crime gang on behalf of a foreign national.
Gardaí seize drugs worth €200,000
Gardaí in Dublin have seized cocaine and cannabis they estimate to be worth €200,000, writes Ruadhán Mac Cormaic.
The drugs were retrieved on Wednesday night during a planned operation carried out in the Ballinteer area by officers from the drugs units at Blackrock and Dundrum Garda stations.
Two vans were stopped and searched during the operation, yielding 2 kilos of cocaine and 8½ kilos of cannabis resin. Depending on the result of forensic examinations, the substances may have a potential street value of €200,000, a Garda spokesman said.
Two men in their 30s were arrested.
Man fraudulently obtained €84,000
An insurance agent and convicted fraudster, who was jailed for four years after he defrauded €2.3 million by getting commissions on bogus pension schemes, has admitted to fraudulently obtaining €84,000 in bank loans.
Noel Fitzpatrick (43) of St Gabriels, Johnstown Road, Cabinteely, pleaded guilty to dishonestly by deception obtaining a passport by claiming to be his brother on October 7th, 2003 and to dishonestly by deception obtaining bank loans from Bank of Ireland, Ulster Bank, National Irish Bank and Permanent TSB between November 10th, 2003 and November 20th, 2003, by pretending to be his brother.
Sex assault arraignment adjourned
A man who had charges of unlawful carnal knowledge against him dropped and was due to plead yesterday to new charges of sexual assault has had his arraignment adjourned.
The accused was one of six men, including Mr C, who had charges of statutory rape against them dropped by the Director of Public Prosecutions at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court last November.
Judge Bryan McMahon agreed to the DPP's request to enter a nolle prosequi in all the cases after he considered the consequences of the Supreme Court decision which declared that Section 1.1 of the 1935 Criminal Law Amendment Act, concerning unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl under 15, was unconstitutional.
Judge Katherine Delahunt agreed to adjourn the case to a date next month after she heard that the man and his defence counsel, Sean Gillane, needed more time to "consider the issue".
Sentencing put back in drugs case
A former chef who was living beyond his means agreed to hold €117,253 of heroin and cocaine for drug dealers "higher up the scale", Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard yesterday.
Karl Burke (26), of Rosebank Hall, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs at Nangor Road, Clondalkin, and in his home on June 2nd, 2005.
Judge Patricia Ryan set sentencing for January 31st.
Suspended term for dangerous driving
A man who rammed two Garda vans and narrowly missed another while drink-driving has received a two-year suspended sentence from Judge Katherine Delahunt at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Séamus O'Byrne (25), of Lansdowne Valley, Drimnagh, pleaded guilty to two charges of dangerous driving and one of reckless endangerment in Dublin on November 19th, 2004.
GAA player acquitted of assault
A GAA player accused of assaulting an opposing team member during an intermediate league football match has been acquitted by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Ronan Mullins (31), Wheatfield Road, Palmers- town, pleaded not guilty to assaulting Damian Flanagan of Fingal Ravens, causing him harm at Glenaulin Park, Palmerstown, in June 2003.