Teacher on sex chargesto face trial
A 36-year-old Co Clare primary school teacher has been returned for trial to Ennis Circuit Court on June 19th charged with 69 counts of sexual assault.
The accused man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is facing the charges over alleged incidents between 2001 and 2004.
Judge Aeneas McCarthy advised him yesterday that if he had any alibis for the alleged offences he should notify the State.
Probation for peace commissioner
A peace commissioner was cleared yesterday of breach of the peace but convicted of being drunk and a danger to himself or others. Brian Taylor (47), Shanowen Avenue, Santry, Dublin, denied the charges arising from an incident at Lemon Street/Duke Lane in Dublin on September 26th.
Judge Mary Collins had viewed CCTV evidence. "I don't think it would be right to convict in relation to the Section 6 [ breach of the peace]," she said, "but I think the matter could have probably been defused better so I am convicting on the Section 4 [ drunk and a danger]."
Mr Taylor claimed he was abused and treated roughly when he asked a garda his name, while gardaí said he was drunk and abusive and that he had to be hit with a baton to restrain him.
Judge Collins said she would apply the Probation Act if €300 was paid to the St Vincent de Paul.
Man jailed for racial abuse
A patient who racially abused staff in an accident and emergency department was jailed for six months yesterday. Paul Doyle (32) has 63 previous convictions for theft, drugs and possession of weapons.
Doyle, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to assault and public order offences at the Mater hospital on September 15th. He also admitted that on December 12th, he racially abused and attacked a supermarket worker.
Dublin District Court heard he was receiving treatment when he struck a security guard and spat in the face of the doctor treating him.
Man shot by gardaí allowed home
A man who was critically injured by a Garda sniper following a stand-off at his home in Gort, Co Galway, last year is to be allowed to return home.
At Ennis District Court yesterday, Judge Aeneas McCarthy lifted an order preventing Anthony Burke (40), from living at his family home at Crowe Street, Gort, in spite of Garda objections.
Mr Burke is charged with the reckless discharge of a firearm. Yesterday he faced six new charges relating to the stand-off with five relating to criminal damage charges from alleged shotgun blasts to four cars.