A round-up of today's other courts stories in brief
€650,000 settlement for crash injuries
A woman who sustained serious brain and other injuries in a road accident has secured €650,000 in a settlement approved yesterday by the High Court. An application may be made later to have the woman made a ward of court.
The action was brought by the 30-year-old woman, with an address in the south-east, arising from a car accident in Co Carlow in late 1999. She was a front-seat passenger in a car which crashed into a ditch.
The woman's family took the view she had undergone a complete change of personality and her doctors believed she was at increased risk of seizures over a two- or three-year period.
After discussions yesterday between senior counsel Edward Walsh, for the woman, and Aidan Walsh, for the defendant, Mr Justice Richard Johnson approved a settlement of €650,000.
Drug dealer jailed for three years
A drug dealer who threw bags of cocaine out of his apartment window down onto a busy street was yesterday jailed for three years. The Circuit Criminal Court in Dundalk heard that Tony Finglas (36) had also swallowed a packet containing cocaine and that gardaí had to bring him to hospital.
Gardaí recovered 16 packages from the street and seized various powders as well as cocaine-mixing equipment.
Finglas was just out of prison after serving a three-year sentence for possession of a gun. He has two previous drugs convictions.
Murder trial adjourned
The trial of a 17-year-old Dublin man accused of murdering a 20-year-old because he was English was adjourned yesterday in the Central Criminal Court until Monday. The deceased's body lay undiscovered for two days in a field beside a car park in the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre where the alleged murder took place after a drinking session.
Kevin Walsh, Allenton Green, Tallaght, denies murdering James Burke between September 22nd and 26th, 2005.
Accused of false insurance claim
A case was adjourned at Enniscorthy District Court yesterday in which a Bunclody, Co Wexford, couple appeared on a number of summonses alleging fraud. The prosecution alleges the defendants attempted to obtain, through a false claim, money from Hibernian Insurance arising out of a reported road traffic accident at Wicklow on August 7th, 2000.
The case against John O'Connor (36) and Kathleen Connors (38), Na Coilte, Carrigban, Bunclody, was adjourned to November 8th.
Jailed for knife attack threat
A man who approached two smokers outside a city centre bar, produced a knife and threatened to kill one of them has received a three-year sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Judge Donagh McDonagh suspended two years of the sentence and said Paddy Barnes (23), Grangemore Drive, Donaghmede, Dublin, was "so out of control by reason of alcohol" that it was fortunate he did not commit a more serious offence.