A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Man on kidnap charge further remanded
A 26-year-old man charged with falsely imprisoning a woman and assaulting her in the Dublin mountains has been remanded in continuing custody.
He first appeared at Castleisland District Court last Thursday charged with falsely imprisoning a woman and with assault causing harm at Military Road, Glasamucky, Co Dublin, on November 19th.
Tralee District Court yesterday heard there was a possibility of further charges being brought against the accused, who cannot be named by order of the judge.
Judge James O'Connor remanded him in custody to appear in court in Tralee on December 13th.
English man denies murder charge
An English man who allegedly kicked and beat a Portuguese national to death wearing steel toe-cap boots appeared in court yesterday.
Stuart Spicer (32), of Ballyquinn, Waterford, pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to the charge of murder.
The State alleges that Mr Spicer murdered Sergio Abreu (43) at Clashanahy, Ardmore, Co Waterford, on September 6th or 7th, 2002.
The trial continues today before Mr Justice Paul Carney and a jury at the Central Criminal Court, sitting in Cork.
Circus workers change pleas
A circus boss who denied a charge of reckless endangerment in connection with the deaths of two women who were hit by a runaway circus trailer on the outskirts of Galway city last April, changed his plea to guilty when he appeared at Galway Circuit Criminal Court yesterday.
Stephen Courtney (35), Earl Street, Longford town, pleaded guilty to a single charge that he intentionally or recklessly caused the trailer to become detached at Cloonacauneen, Tuam Road, Galway, on April 6th.
Circus lorry driver, Francisco Daria (23), a Venezuelan national with addresses in Cherrywood Park, Dublin, and San Lodovico, Sio Saliceto, Italy, who had also denied two counts of dangerous driving which had caused the deaths of Joan Reilly and her daughter, Siobhán, on the N17 at Cloonacauneen, Galway, also changed his plea to guilty.
Judge Raymond Groarke adjourned sentencing in the case to December 12th. He directed a victim impact report on the women's next of kinbe be prepared.
Addict jailed for robbing €45,121
A chronic addict who stole €45,121 from seven different financial institutions while under pressure from a drugs thug has been jailed for five years and eight months in consecutive sentences by Judge Bryan McMahon at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Mark Mooney (31), with addresses at St Canice's Road, Finglas, and Bunratty Road, Coolock, pleaded guilty to seven robberies in four branches of EBS, two branches of National Irish Bank and one branch of Ulster Bank, and an attempted robbery at the EBS, Swords, between January 2004 and March 2006.
Cyclist awarded €315,000 damages
A cyclist who sustained serious head injuries after he claimed he was struck by a motor vehicle and knocked to the ground has secured €315,000 and costs in settlement of his High Court action for damages. The settlement was without admission of liability.
Mr Justice Richard Johnson approved the settlement yesterday for Laurence Noel Manning , represented by Dr John O'Mahony SC.
Mr Manning (60), Salvia Court, Keyes Park, Limerick, had sued Craig Quinn, Maigue Way, John Carew Park, Limerick.
It was alleged that Mr Quinn was the driver of a motor vehicle on January 16th, 1999, near Roxboro Road, Limerick, when he allegedly struck the plaintiff.