In Short

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

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

Warrant out for man on sex charges

A bench warrant has been issued at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for one of the men previously accused of unlawful carnal knowledge until the recent Supreme Court ruling on the unconstitutionality of the legislation.

Judge Katherine Delahunt issued the warrant for "K" after hearing from barrister Marie Torrens that he had not appeared in court for his arraignment on new charges of sexual assault.

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3 years for kitchen knife attack

A chef who attacked his former boss with a kitchen knife and another man with a hammer following an evening of drinking has been given a three-year sentence by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Geoffrey Lavelle (31), Castlebar, Co Mayo, pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting Liam Tully and Paul Simpson in February 2006.

Lavelle's former boss and friend, Mr Tully, suffered a permanent scar across his face in an attack described by defence counsel as "out of the blue" and "for no apparent reason".

Mr Simpson happened upon the scene after Mr Tully had escaped and intervened to protect Lavelle's girlfriend, but received a blow to the face with a claw hammer.

Judge Katherine Delahunt imposed a three-year sentence for the assault on Mr Tully suspending the last two years and imposed a concurrent two-year sentence with the last year suspended for the assault on Mr Simpson.

Man died from single stab wound

A Chinese man fatally stabbed after an intruder broke into his house died from a single stab wound to the chest the Central Criminal Court heard today.

Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis told George Birmingham SC, prosecuting, that Zhi Song (23) died from a single wound approximately 16cm long, which passed through the left ventricle of the heart and into his left lung.

He could not absolutely exclude the possibility that the fatal blow was a result of Mr Song running on to the knife. The wound was a slightly irregular shape which could suggest movement of either the victim, the weapon or both.

Derek Wade (27) Church Avenue, Rialto, Dublin, denies murdering Mr Zhi at Reuben Avenue, South Circular Road, Dublin on June 29th, 2005, and attempting to steal the purse of Xiau Wen Zhou.

Dr Curtis said he "had an element of scepticism over people running on to a knife. An awful lot more research needs to be done on that subject." To inflict the fatal injury, the knife would have had to be held straight out with the blade almost completely vertical.

The trial continues on Monday.

Man attacked boy at christening

A man who attacked a 13-year-old boy at a family christening, punching, kicking and banging the child's head off the ground. has been given a two-year suspended sentence and ordered to pay €3,000 compensation by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Robert Douche (27), Alderwood Green, Tallaght, Dublin, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to the boy at Sundale Villas, Tallaght, in February 2005.

Judge Michael White ordered the money to be paid to the child's parents for his benefit. He heard the boy is now more fearful for his personal safety but that the families involved have since "made amends".