Today's other court stories in brief
Final attempt to have Lynn give evidence
A final attempt may be made to have fugitive solicitor Michael Lynn give evidence by video-link in a long-running High Court action by a former client against First Active.
Mr Lynn (40) had been due to give evidence twice before from London via video-link to Dublin as part of a multi- million euro action by builder Brian Cunningham against First Active over the collapse of the Cunningham group of companies in 2003.
Drug sentences reduced
The Court of Criminal Appeal has significantly reduced the prison sentences imposed on two Cork women who collected cannabis resin valued at €140,000 while on a day trip to Dublin in 2005.
Nicola Duggan (27), Blackpool, Vivienne O'Donovan (27), Farranree, and a third woman were jailed by Judge Frank O'Donnell last December at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of 20kg of cannabis resin worth €140,000 in March 2005.
The three-judge appeal court, with Ms Justice Fidelma Macken, presiding, Mr Justice Declan Budd and Ms Justice Mary Irvine, found the sentences imposed were unduly severe.
In the case of Duggan, Ms Justice Macken said, the appeal court imposed a sentence of five years with the last 2½ years suspended, while O'Donovan received a four-year sentence with the final 2½ years suspended.
Previously the court heard the three women had got lost on their way home after what appeared to be a "day out".
They had collected the cannabis in Dublin city centre but got lost on the way home and ended up on the M1 driving towards the airport. They were stopped by gardaí who found the cannabis in the boot of their car.
12-year term for drug possession
A man who ran a multi- million euro drug-dealing enterprise has been sentenced to 12 years in jail, with five years suspended, after he was caught by gardaí with over €47,000 worth of ecstasy.
John Heaphy (56), an unemployed father of seven, Fairhill, Cork, had pleaded guilty to possessing the drugs for sale or supply but denied a charge of possessing more than €13,000 worth of the drugs at Rathpeacon, Cork, on December 14th, 2007.
Social worker scalded by girl
A 17-year-old Dublin girl, who was having "a bad come- down" from prescription drugs when she threw boiling water over her social worker, has been given a suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The girl pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to David McGrath at the Millbrook Lawns Care Centre in Tallaght on November 15th, 2006, by throwing a jug of boiling water over him.
Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced her to one year in prison, suspended for two years on condition she remains in her care home and engages with the probation service.