More court reports in brief.
US cocaine smuggler gets six years in jail
An American who swallowed 93 pellets of cocaine, worth more than €64,000, has been jailed for six years by Judge Patricia Ryan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Charles Nadum (26), Cantrell Street, Irving, Texas, was stopped by Customs officials after arriving on a flight from Belgium.
He pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs, worth €64,353, for sale or supply at Dublin airport on March 12th, 2006.
Student jailed for taxi driver attack
A UCC student, high on a cocktail of alcohol, prescribed medication and Red Bull, who seriously injured a Galway taxi driver with a rock, has been sentenced to three years in prison, with the final two years suspended, by Galway Circuit Criminal Court.
Joseph Campbell (20), Freeport, Barna, Galway, pleaded guilty to assaulting taxi driver William Peyton, in an unprovoked assault at Kylebroughlan, Moycullen, in the early hours of September 4th last year.
Car hijackers get suspended term
Three men who hijacked a "good Samaritan's" car in a "mean-spirited" attack after drinking heavily at a house party have received suspended sentences at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The victim, who had agreed to give the men a lift on a cold night, was attacked and had his car taken when the culprits were not happy with the distance he had driven them.
John McDonagh (28), St Patrick's Park, Mohill, Co Leitrim; Martin Lawrence (21), St Mary's, Cappagh Field, Finglas; and John Stokes (26) St Margaret's campsite, Cappagh, pleaded guilty to unlawfully seizing a vehicle on February 22nd, 2005, at Shangan Green, Ballymun.
Judge Frank O'Donnell gave Stokes and Lawrence suspended sentences of three years and imposed fines of €600. He gave McDonagh a suspended sentence of two years and a fine of €300.
Pub attacker is remanded on bail
An apprentice carpenter who dragged a man from a bar stool and punched him twice in the head, has been remanded on bail pending sentence.
Brendan Cahill (22), Donomore Avenue, Tallaght, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, to assault causing harm to Tony Doyle at the Lansdowne Bar, Dublin, on November 11th, 2005.
Man gets six years on drugs charge
An asylum seeker living in Co Dublin and described as an "accomplished con man" has been jailed for six years for possession of cannabis valued at over €10,000. Judge Frank O'Donnell heard there is a deportation order for the man, aged 32, but the Garda National Immigration Bureau has been unable to definitively establish who he is or where he is from. The judge said he should be deported on release.
Nine months for holding fake visas
A Nigerian national has been jailed for nine months by Judge Desmond Hogan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possessing 47 fake visas.
Owalabi Lowo (39), Ongar Park, Clonee, Dublin, pleaded guilty to possessing the visas at Blanchardstown shopping centre on February 15th, 2006.