A round-up of other home news in brief
Garda withdraws defamation case against 'Irish Times'
A case for defamation against The Irish Timeswas withdrawn in the Circuit Court yesterday.
The case was initiated by Richard Gamble, a member of An Garda Síochána, who alleged that he had been defamed in a court report published in The Irish Timeson November 26th, 1999. The case was due to be heard shortly.
Counsel for Mr Gamble informed the president of the Circuit Court, Mr Justice Matthew F Deery, that on consent the plaintiff was withdrawing his case and he asked that it now be struck out with no order.
Andrew O'Rorke of Hayes Solicitors, on behalf of The Irish Times, consented to the withdrawal.
HSE to hand over papers on child
The High Court has made orders allowing the HSE hand over information provided during a 2001 court case involving a child who died while in State care to an inquiry into such deaths.
The information will be given to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and will be considered by the independent review group into the deaths of children in State care.
The review group members are Norah Gibbons and Geoffrey Shannon.
Yesterday, Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill, who had dealt with the case in 2001, granted orders allowing the HSE hand over to the Minister all the papers provided in connection with the judicial review proceedings.
Suspended drug sentence for teen
A youth who was one of the best students in his school when living with his grandmother, but caught with €18,000 worth of cannabis after moving in with his mother, has received a two-year suspended sentence.
Noel Farmer, then 16-years-old, was found smoking a joint in the bath when gardaí raided his mother’s home. He admitted possession of the drugs but refused to sign his statement after his mother intervened.
Farmer (18), Castlecurragh Vale, Blanchardstown, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of 11 nine-ounce bars of cannabis resin worth €18,658 at his home on October 10th, 2008.
Teens remanded on bail over mugging
Two teenagers who mugged a man for substances he bought in a Dublin city centre head shop have been remanded on bail pending sentence.
The boys, aged 17 and 15 years pleaded guilty at the Children’s Court yesterday to attempted robbery of the man (20), at Trinity Street in Dublin 2 on April 28th last. The court was told that the man had bought products from the Nirvana head shop on South William Street and was allegedly followed and mugged by the boys and a man.
Judge Catherine Staines described the offence as serious and adjourned sentencing until September.