In short

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Other stories in brief...

Criminal gets eight years for blinding victim

A criminal whose assault with "a high level of gratuitous violence" on a man walking his dog which left the victim blind in one eye, has been given an eight-year jail term consecutive to a five-year term he is serving.

Leroy Dumbrell (20) of Emmet Road, Inchicore, has 57 previous convictions and was on bail for another assault when he attacked Nigel Reid in the face, causing him to permanently lose sight in his left eye.

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Dumbrell was convicted by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury in July of assaulting Mr Reid causing him serious harm and robbing his mobile phone on July 11th, 2004.

Judge Frank O'Donnell ordered that Dumbrell serve the eight years consecutive to a five-year sentence imposed on him in October, 2005. He suspended the last five years on condition he remain under the supervision of the probation services for two years upon his release.

The judge noted from a medical report that the sight in Mr Reid's left eye was so reduced "he was merely able to distinguish between light and dark" and that there is no prospect for recovery of his sight in this eye.

Men on new sexual assault charges

Four men previously accused of unlawful carnal knowledge, before the Supreme Court ruled the legislation to be unconstitutional, have appeared in court in relation to new charges of sexual assault.

Counsel for the men, who cannot be identified, applied for senior counsel to be assigned and asked that the cases be adjourned for mention again in January at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Marie Torrens BL, defending Mr C, who was the subject of the Supreme Court ruling, said her client now faced four counts of sexually assaulting a female under the age of 15.

Man pleads guilty to bank fraud

The trial of an Algerian man charged with fraudulently obtaining an estimated €16,000 from banks ended yesterday when he changed his plea to guilty at Galway Circuit Criminal Court.

Karim Yahi (34), Hynes's Yard, Merchant's Road, Galway, whose restaurant at Middle Street, Galway, shut down this week, had denied 57 counts of allegedly obtaining amounts varying from €500 to €700, from various financial institutions on various dates in February and March, 2005, using fake travellers' cheques along with fake Italian passports.

However, he pleaded guilty yesterday to six sample counts of fraud, relating to banks in Tuam, Fermoy and Bandon, and the jury were discharged.

Judge Raymond Groarke imposed a four-year sentence and suspended the final two and a half years on condition the accused keep the peace and not commit any fraud-related crime during that period.

Teenager jailed for stealing car

A teenager who drove a stolen car on to Luas tracks has been jailed for three years by Judge Frank O'Donnell at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Charlie Darcy (18) of Crumlin Park, Crumlin, is serving a five-year prison sentence for assault causing harm, violent disorder, and aggravated burglary.

Darcy pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a Mazda car, criminal damage to the car and to pedestrian railings surrounding the Luas track on the Naas Road, on July 27th, 2005.