A round-up of today's other courts news in brief
Court pays tribute to late Judge Scally
The death has taken place in Dublin of District Court Judge James Scally of Blackrock, Co Dublin, who died at at St Vincents private hospital on Saturday following an illness.
The Special Criminal Court yesterday paid tribute to Judge Scally. Members of the court, barristers, gardaí and members of the public stood in silence to remember him. Mr Justice Paul Butler said Judge Scally served with distinction and his humanity was always at the forefront.
Judge Scally practised law in Dublin before becoming an aid worker overseas.
He returned to work with the Legal Aid Board before being appointed a judge. He is survived by his sisters Pam (O'Connell) and Gay (O'Connor), brother Derek, nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. His requiem Mass will be held tomorrow at noon in the Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace, Merrion Road, Dublin 4.
Five years for holding gun
A man who was caught holding a pump-action shotgun for a criminal who was later murdered has been jailed for five years by Judge Frank O’Donnell at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Geoffrey Morrow (27), Montpelier Square, North Circular Road, Dublin, was also caught with a Garda baton at his home and had stored a Garda radio, cocaine and shotgun cartridges under the gear stick of his car.
Delivered drugs to fund holiday
A tree surgeon who delivered drugs to raise money for a holiday to Thailand was yesterday given a thee-year suspended jail term. Trim Circuit Court heard that Laurence Murphy (27), of Parkview, Athboy, Co Meath, had a ticket to Bangkok in a safe in his bedroom along with a variety of drugs.
He gave gardaí the combination to the safe after his car was stopped and searched at Cloncowan, Trim, on the December 12th, 2007, under the Misuse of Drugs Act. He was found in possession of drugs valued at €18,427 and pleaded guilty to two counts of having the drugs for sale or supply.
Boy remanded for starting fire
A boy who set fire to a Gaelscoil in Lucan, Co Dublin, has been placed in custody by Tallaght Court. The court had previously heard that the 14-year-old had caused €864,000 worth of damage to Gaelscoil Naomh Pádraig in Lucan.
The boy, with an address in Lucan, had pleaded guilty to damaging the school and three waste container bins on April 20th last year. He was before Judge James McDonnell for probation reports.
Det Noel Maher told the court he had evidence the boy twice breached his curfew.
Judge McDonnell said, “There was almost a million euro worth of damage. The public must be protected.”
He remanded the boy for two weeks.
Woman guilty of theft from firm
A Wicklow woman pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing large sums of money from the company where she worked.
Cheryl Byrne (32), The Woods, Rathdrum, admitted stealing €3,223 from David Curran and Dave Curran Design at Lower Grand Canal Quay, Dublin, between January 28th and February 4th, 2007. She will enter a plea to 72 similar counts on a future date.