A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Case deferred over illness of pathologist
The inability of former State Pathologist Dr John Harbison to give evidence for the State at the trial of a Monaghan woman led to the trial being adjourned at the Circuit Criminal Court in Monaghan yesterday.
She had been charged with dangerous driving causing the death of two people after two passengers in her car were killed when the car went out of control and crashed.
Frank Martin, prosecuting, said Dr Harbison was an important witness and in the circumstances he indicated to Judge John O'Hagan there was a likelihood another pathologist might be called to offer evidence.
Anthony Sammon, defending, said he found it difficult to accept that an adjournment should be sought at such a late stage. Judge O'Hagan accepted there was an urgency to have the case concluded so he intended to have the matter concluded with a peremptory trial in the autumn.
Three jailed for pub assault
Three men were sentenced to two years in prison yesterday after an assault on a publican and two customers who were struck with a stool and a pool cue.
Roscommon Circuit Court heard that the pub owner, Ned Gilligan, had to have 30 stitches in his face and head after the assault.
Man jailed for nine years for rape
A man has been jailed for nine years by Mr Justice Paul Carney at the Central Criminal Court for rape. The woman, from Limerick, gave gardaí a false name when she first met them.
Peter Dolan (44), Wolverhampton, England, who also had an address at St Mary's Mansions, Rialto, was certified as a registered sex offender by Mr Justice Carney who also gave Dolan a certificate for leave to appeal in case his previous good character was not fully taken into consideration by the court.
Mr Justice Carney noted that Det Sgt John Ward had spoken favourably about Dolan's good behaviour and directed that he undergo five years of post-release supervision. Dolan was convicted by a jury last March of anally raping the woman and of assaulting her causing her harm at a Dún Laoghaire hostel on March 13th, 1999.
John Phelan SC, defending, said the woman had given gardaí a false name when they were first called to the hostel and had given what he said was "contradictory evidence". He said that during the trial Mr Justice Carney had stated he would give the defence a certificate for leave to appeal on the basis of her evidence and her demeanour in court.
Mr Phelan said he was surprised by the jury's decision. He added that Dolan was "hugely remorseful" for becoming involved sexually with the woman whom he met by chance at Heuston station. "It started out as a consensual encounter but got out of hand," he said.
The woman has admitted in evidence that she gave a false name to gardaí and did not tell them she had been raped by Dolan after they were called to the hostel.
She said she met Dolan at Heuston station and asked him for directions to Dún Laoghaire where she planned to get the Holyhead ferry for a visit to London.
She told Mr Phelan she did not tell gardaí that she had been raped and said this was because she was "frightened". "I wanted to get away. Maybe I was shocked," she said.
Man denies Dublin pub murder
A former kick-boxing champion was shot in the head three times in a Dublin inner city pub, a murder trial jury was told yesterday. The Central Criminal Court heard that James Curran was shot in front of more than 20 people in the Green Lizard pub on Francis Street, Dublin.
Bernard Dempsey (48), Golden Lane, Dublin, denies the murder in April 2005.
The trial continues today.