A round-up of today's court stories in brief
Minister in court for GAA pitch case
Minister for Transport Martin Cullen has been subpoenaed to give evidence in a High Court action in which a number of farmers claim that he, in breach of their grazing rights, indicated to a GAA club that it could erect a fence around a juvenile playing pitch on the Heath area of "commonage" in Co Laois.
Mr Cullen, a former minister of state at the Office for Public Works, had indicated in 2002 to representatives of The Heath GAA club that permission was to be given to the club to erect the disputed fence around the juvenile pitch and that this would be an ideal opportunity to "take on" the farmers, James Dwyer SC said.
The fence was erected without the benefit of planning permission and in breach of the farmers' rights, he claimed.
Mr Cullen attended court yesterday to give evidence in the action by three farmers - Jackie Hyland, Thomas Curran and Michael O'Connor - supported by a number of others, against a representative of the GAA club, the Office of Public Works and the Minister for Finance.
The GAA says the old juvenile pitch became part of the Portlaoise bypass and the present juvenile pitch was developed on five acres of lands almost totally overgrown on the Heath.
The GAA club says the fence is necessary for health and safety and to qualify for public liability insurance. There were health and safety concerns for children using a pitch to which sheep had access, it said. After the case adjourned yesterday, there were some discussions between the sides which will resume today.
Sentence later in looting case
A teenager from Eastern Europe who took part in looting during the riots that broke out at the "Love Ulster" rally in Dublin last February, has had sentencing adjourned until December.
The 17-year-old youth, a native of Georgia who has been in Ireland since last September without any parents, had pleaded guilty at the Dublin Children's Court to trespassing on the Schuh Shop, on O'Connell Street, with intent to commit a theft on February 25th last.
He also admitted possessing a set of pliers for use in connection with a theft offence. Judge Bryan Smyth remanded the boy on continuing bail until December to allow for further intervention from the Probation and Welfare Service and for a report on him to be obtained.
€12,500 award for pitch mark burn
Donegal's former lord mayor Dessie Larkin said the increased award he was granted against the FAI at the High Court sitting in Letterkenny yesterday, justified his 13-year battle.
Mr Larkin was awarded €9,000 last February because of burns he received to his inner thighs, from lime used to mark a football pitch on October 3rd, 1993. The FAI appealed the February award but Mr Justice Barry White pronouncing judgment yesterday increased Cllr Larkin's compensation to €12,500.
Mr Justice White said Cllr Larkin had been permanently scared.
"The only reason burns were sustained by Mr Larkin was for some reason the consistency of the lime had been incorrect," the judge said.
He awarded the costs of the Circuit and High Court actions against the FAI.