In Short

A round-up of today's other stories in brief...

A round-up of today's other stories in brief...

Rape trial hears legal argument

The trial of a Kildare man for the alleged rape of a teenage woman in a GAA grounds has continued with legal argument in the absence of the jury at the Central Criminal Court.

The accused man (24) has pleaded not guilty to raping the then 18-year old woman on March 7th, 2004, at St Brigid's Park, otherwise known as Round Towers GAA, in Kildare.

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The hearing is scheduled to resume today before Mr Justice Paul Carney and a jury of two women and 10 men.

Teenager jailed for sex assault

A teenage boy who has committed a series of sexual offences has been jailed for five years for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl.

Eoin Dowling (18), Glenmore Park, Ballyboden, was convicted by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury in January of sexually assaulting the girl on November 29th and December 13th, 2003 in south Dublin.

Judge Con Murphy, who earlier placed Dowling on the sex offenders register, said the teenager had "obvious deep psychological health problems which had not been dealt with". He said the help and funding which were required were not available in Ireland.

Man given 15 months for assault

A 72-year-old Monaghan man has been jailed for 15 months for sexually assaulting a teenage girl. The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexually assaulting the then 17-year-old twice between June 1st and July 31st, 1999, in north Monaghan.

Girl attacked Chinese woman

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a teenage girl who was at the centre of a gang attack on a young Chinese woman.

Judge Catherine Murphy heard at the Dublin Children's Court yesterday that the 16-year-old Tallaght girl attacked the Chinese woman, who is in her early 20s, at the Luas stop in Smithfield last October.

The girl was due to appear in court for a hearing but did not turn up and was convicted in her absence. During the incident the girl hit and then set upon her; a passer-by tried to intervene but was also attacked by her gang.

Judge Murphy issued a warrant for the girl's arrest.

Suspended term for assault

A man who "took out his frustrations in a ruthless, tragic and brutal way" on two victims has been given a four-year suspended sentence by Judge Joseph Matthews at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

David Cranny (21), Kilcross Lawn, Sandyford, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Michael Dixon on August 30th, 2003, and to Philip Lambert on September 9th, 2004.

Assistant stole €12,000 from shop

A man who stole more than €12,000 from a Pound City shop of which he was assistant manager has been given a two-year suspended sentence and ordered to carry out 240 hours of community work.

Graham Phelan (26), Marion Villas, Cork Street, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary of the shop on Moore Street on November 7th, 2004.

Driver involved in collisions jailed

A man who was in hospital twice following serious collisions has been jailed for four years, with two years suspended, by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Thomas McGuinness (25), Harelawn Drive, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, reversing at speed towards a garda, two charges of unlawfully taking a car, having no insurance and criminal damage to a State vehicle between December 2003 and January 2005.