In Short

A roundup of today's other court stories in brief

A roundup of today's other court stories in brief

Man jailed for raping two of his sisters

A man has been jailed for six years by Mr Justice Paul Carney on charges of rape and sexual assault on two of his sisters when they were aged from nine to 17 years.

The now 47-year-old man's sexual violation of two of his sisters ended when one of them brandished a knife and threatened to stab him if he ever came near her again.

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The man pleaded guilty to six sample charges. He had faced 69 charges of rape, attempted rape and indecent assault of his sisters from 1970 to 1982.

Mr Justice Carney said the offence warranted a 12-year prison term but considering his co-operation with gardaí, lack of previous convictions and early guilty plea, he sentenced him to six years on the rape charges and a concurrent two-year term for the indecent assaults. He declared him a sex offender and ordered that he undergo five years supervision on his release.

Bid to halt Rossiter inquest adjourned

A High Court bid by the parents of 14-year-old Brian Rossiter to halt the inquest into his death unless certain witnesses are called has been adjourned to February.

Patrick and Siobhán Rossiter are seeking an order restraining Cork city coroner Dr Myra Cullinane from proceeding with the inquest into the death of their son after he was detained at Clonmel Garda station in September, 2002.

They say the inquest should not continue unless the coroner agrees to hear from witnesses whom the parents wish to call.

Woman breached court order

A woman who breached a protection order by drunkenly trying to enter her husband's bedroom had her case remanded for a pre-sentence report in Tallaght Court.

The woman admitted contravening a protection order by putting her husband in fear on December 3rd. Sgt Tim Burke said gardaí had responded to a complaint from the man that his wife was drunk and was banging on the door of his bedroom.

Sgt Burke said she had no previous convictions.

Solicitor Kevin Tunney said they had been married for 38 years. She suffered from depression and had been attending AA since.

Judge James McDonnell remanded her on bail.

Medical Council faces costs bill

The Medical Council is facing a substantial bill after the High Court yesterday directed it to pay the legal costs of two consultant obstetricians who successfully challenged findings of professional misconduct against them by the council over their 1998 reports on the obstetric practice of Michael Neary at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.

Mr Justice Peter Kelly ordered that the council should pay the costs incurred by Dr John Murphy and Prof Walter Prendiville in their successful judicial review proceedings which resulted in the judge last week overturning findings of professional misconduct against them.

Sex assaults retrial adjourned to April

The retrial of six men accused of a litany of sex assaults on a schoolgirl when she was 12 and 13 has been adjourned to April 1st.

Judge John O'Hagan was told at Donegal Circuit Court yesterday that the hearing was likely to take three weeks.

The new hearing was ordered when the original trial collapsed 19 days ago.