More court reports in brief.
Disabled boy to receive €800,000
An eight-year-old boy who is disabled as a result of alleged negligence during his birth is to receive €800,000 in settlement of his High Court action for damages. The settlement is without admission of liability.
Oran Fitzpatrick, suing through his father, Anthony, of Crobally Heights, Waterford, suffers Erb's Palsy, a paralysis of the arm, and had sued the South Eastern Health Board (now the Health Service Executive) alleging negligence in the circumstances of his birth at the Regional Maternity Hospital, Waterford, on April 3rd, 2000.
The board denied liability and claimed the child's delivery was an emergency situation in which he was at risk of brain damage. Mr Justice de Valera approved the settlement and costs in favour of Oran.
PSNI arrest man over 1994 UVF killings
Police have arrested a 45-year-old man in connection with the murders of six Catholics by a UVF gang in Co Down in 1994, writes Dan Keenan.
The man was detained by PSNI special detectives working alongside Kent police. He was taken to Antrim police station for questioning.
The attack took place as a number of people watched a World Cup match at the Heights Bar. The six dead included an 87-year-old man. Five others were injured in the shooting. An alleged security force agent has been linked to the gang behind the killing.
South Down Assembly members have welcomed the progress in the 14-year investigation.
Sinn Féin's Caitriona Ruane said: "The families who lost loved ones in the 1994 shooting in the Heights Bar in Loughinisland, which left six people dead, are determined to find the truth behind this terrible atrocity, and the Ombudsman investigation into the people who organised and carried out this shooting must be published."
Man charged with child sex assaults
A Wexford man was formally charged at Wexford Circuit Court yesterday with five counts of sexual assault against four boys. The incidents occurred between January 1985 and December 1993 in Co Wexford and Co Dublin. The defendant, who pleaded not guilty to all charges read out against him, cannot be named for legal reasons.
The victims, all males, were originally from Co Wexford and are now in their 30s. The case continues today.
Wife charged with murder of husband
A 54-year-old woman has been sent forward for trial charged with the murder of her husband. Anne Burke is charged with murdering Pat Burke (55) at the couple's family home in Ballybrittas, Co Laois, last August.
Mr Burke, who worked as a groundskeeper in a retreat house, died from multiple blows to the head with a blunt instrument. His body was discovered in a downstairs bedroom of the family home after gardaí called to the house on August 19th, 2007.
Mother-of-four Mrs Burke appeared before Portarlington District Court yesterday. Her solicitor Daire Robinson applied for his client to be returned for trial to the current sitting of the Central Criminal Court.
Judge William Hamill ordered that she be returned for trial to the Central Criminal Court under her existing bail conditions.
Mayor's trial to take four days
The trial of mayor of Killarney Patrick O'Donoghue (41) on charges of breaching local government ethics legislation arising out of a land rezoning motion in Killarney Town Council, will take four days, the Circuit Criminal Court in Tralee heard yesterday.
In May Mr O'Donoghue, a Fianna Fáil town councillor and managing director of the Gleneagle Hotel Group, was sent forward for trial from Killarney District Court on two charges, both of which were brought under Section 181 (4) of the Local Government Act 2001 and Section 177 of the Ethics Acts 1995 and 2001.
The charges are that on dates unknown, between January 1st and March 6th, 2006, at the Gleneagle Hotel, he influenced, or sought to influence, the decision of the council in respect of a motion to rezone land at the Gleneagle Hotel, and also that he failed to withdraw from the town council meeting on the night of March 6th, 2006, when the motion was considered.
Judge Carroll Moran adjourned the matter to the call over list of October 6th, when it is expected a date will be set for the trial.
Court rejects punishment claim
A prisoner has lost his High Court action for damages over a claim he was not offered legal advice when he was deprived of privileges as punishment for having a mobile phone and drugs in his cell four years ago.
The action by David Gibbons (36), who was serving an eight-year sentence for robbery, was a test case for a number of similar proceedings.
Man guilty of sex assaults on girl
A Limerick man described as a "grandfather figure" has been convicted by a jury on two charges of sexually assaulting a young girl, but acquitted on 40 charges, including 12 rape charges.
The jury at the Central Criminal Court returned the guilty verdicts on two charges of sexual assault on dates in 1998 and 2001.
Mr Justice John Edwards directed that the man's name be added to the register of sex offenders and remanded him on continuing bail for sentence later this month.
He had pleaded not guilty to 43 charges of sexual assault of the now 16-year-old complainant on dates from 1998 to 2005.
Publican charged with harassment
A publican has been charged with harassing staff in South Dublin County Council by telephone, Tallaght Court has heard. Judge James McDonnell heard it will be alleged that John Crowe made numerous phone calls to the council's offices. Mr Crowe (59), Fortfield Drive, Terenure, was remanded on bail.
Four remanded on IRA charge
Four Derry men arrested during a Garda investigation into dissident republicans in Co Donegal were further remanded in custody yesterday at the Special Criminal Court as the defence waits for a book of evidence. The accused are Gary Donnelly (38), Kildrum Gardens; Michael Gallagher (28), Sackville Court; Martin Francis O'Neill, Colmcille Court and Patrick John McDaid (39), Marlborough Street, all Derry city.
They are charged with membership of an unlawful organisation.
Three years for dangerous driving
A Dublin man who had been disqualified from driving for 25 years in 2006, has received a three-year sentence for dangerously driving a stolen car last year. Gerry Connors (25) told gardaí he sped off after colliding with a car because he had no insurance.