A round-up of today's other court stories in brief
Suspended term for former pastor
A former Baptist pastor and father of three who held-up staff at gunpoint and made off with over €3,000 from the local bank where he was a customer has been given a two year suspended jail sentence.
Kieran Beville (48), Lauragh, Bandon, Co Cork pleaded guilty to the robbery of €3,365 and possession of a firearm with intent to commit a robbery at the Bank of Ireland, South Main Street, Bandon on August 5th last. Det Sgt Gerry McCarthy said the offence was completely out of character for Beville who was previously of good character.
The court heard Beville and his family were in the process of selling their family home in Bandon and moving to Cork but his wife was opposed to them borrowing more money. Beville came up with a plan to rob the bank to make-up the shortfall.
Judge Patrick Moran sentenced him to two years for the robbery but suspended it while he took the firearms offence into account.
Scout leader abused boys
A 61-year old former cub-scout leader was jailed last night after pleading guilty to subjecting two young boys to sexual abuse over a five-year period.
At Ennis Circuit Court yesterday, Thomas Waters of Moore Street, Kilrush pleaded guilty to multiple counts of the sexual assault of two brothers at Moore Street, Kilrush from 1969 to 1974.
Counsel for Waters, Mark Nicholas said his client was offering €60,000, representing his life savings, to the two victims. Mr Nicholas said Mr Waters had gone to a priest in 1982 who recommended he receive psychiatric help.
Judge Carroll Moran said Waters "had subjected the two boys to a regime of continuous sexual abuse lasting five years when the boys were aged eight and nine to 13 and 14."
He remanded him in custody to appear at Limerick Circuit Court on December 13th for sentencing.
Monica Leech sues RTÉ for libel
RTÉ has been given three weeks to file a defence to High Court proceedings brought by Monica Leech, the former public relations consultant for Environment Minister Martin Cullen, alleging she was libelled on the Joe Duffy radio show.
The proceedings arise after remarks were made on December 16th last year on the Liveline programme.
Ms Leech, a communications consultant of South Parade, Waterford,is seeking damages including aggravated and/or exemplary damages for libel along with special damages including loss of earnings.
Ms Leech recently took up the post of chief executive of Waterford Chamber of Commerce.
Men plead not guilty to murder
Three men pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday to the murder of a man in Drogheda in 2003.
Robert Heaney (20), of Hand Street, Drogheda, Co Louth, Mark Johnson (22), of Church View Upper, Mell, Drogheda and Christopher Wood (26) of Castle Grove, Julianstown, Co Meath all denied the murder of Russell Deane (28), at his home at Elmwood, Drogheda, Co Louth on February 1st, 2003.
A jury was sworn in and the trial will start today.