In Short

A round-up of today's other news in brief

A round-up of today's other news in brief

Teenager's sentence hearing over manslaughter adjourned

A teenager who pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his school friend over two years ago has had his Central Criminal Court sentence hearing adjourned until later this week.

Anthony Mason (18), Bishop Street, Limerick, had pleaded not guilty to the murder but guilty to manslaughter of Roman Vysochan (16) at Carraig Midhe estate, Corbally, on May 10th, 2008. John O’Loughlin (21), Cecil Street, Limerick, was jailed for life last July for the murder of the talented soccer player.

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David Sutton, defending, said Mason, who has no previous convictions, had, under the influence of drink and older people, gotten involved in “someone else’s fight” but had crucially put down his weapon upon recognising the victim.

Sentencing due for knocking down man

A Dublin man who knocked down his neighbour with his car, leaving him brain damaged and in a coma, is due to be sentenced at the Central Criminal Court today.

Gavin Guerrine (20), La Touche Road, Bluebell, pleaded guilty in November to recklessly or intentionally causing serious harm to Christopher O’Rourke in April 2009.

Mr O’Rourke was walking down Huband Road in Bluebell with his girlfriend when Guerrine, who was then 17, mounted the kerb and drove into Mr O’Rourke, who was sent flying through the air. The court heard the victim made two attempts to take his own life in 2010, and died one month after his 25th birthday last August from a drug overdose.

Guerrine, who appeared in the Central Criminal Court yesterday for his sentence hearing, denied he sent a text to a friend that day saying: “I wrecked my car, but f**k it, it’s for my brother Darren.”

The court heard Darren had been killed a year before.

Boy (8) dies after choking on chip

A young Donegal boy has died after choking on a chip.

It is believed Hugh Sheerin (8) died after the episode sparked an asthmatic attack. He was the youngest of a family of three from Carndonagh in the county.

Local Fianna Fáil councillor Charlie McConalogue said: “It’s sad when anyone dies but the fact that this little boy was so young, and the manner in which he died, makes it all the more heartbreaking”.

Drug defendants 'should pay for tests'

Defendants should have to pay costs of the analysis of material by the prosecution if there is evidence of drug possession, in the view of Judge Murrough Connellan.

Sitting in Wicklow District Court in Bray yesterday, he asked Garda Insp Mary Aldridge to ascertain the cost of having such analysis done.

He said in these stringent times, where there was evidence of drugs, the defendants should have to pay costs of the analysis.