A round-up of other courts news in brief
Monaghan man denies rape of elderly woman
A Monaghan man charged with raping an 86-year-old woman in her home initially denied in Garda interviews that he had ever been in the woman’s home but later claimed to have helped a relative “power wash” her house.
The man told gardaí that while power washing the house about five months previously they had fitted the hose on to the sink in the kitchen or bathroom of the house and he had used the toilet. He could not explain how his fingerprints could have been found in a bedroom of the house.
The 35-year-old has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to raping the woman on June 16th, 2008, and to burglary of her home with intent to steal on the same occasion.
The trial continues before Mr Justice George Birmingham and a jury of four women and eight men.
Legal argument in murder trial
There has been a day of legal argument in the absence of the jury at the trial of a man accused of murdering an 83-year-old pensioner in Westmeath last year.
Noel Cawley (47), of no fixed abode, but with a previous address in Castleblayney, Co
Monaghan, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Christy Hanley at his home on Bridge Street, Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath, on May 21st last year.
The trial resumes on Monday.
Sentence later for apartment scam
Sentencing of a man who defrauded 12 potential tenants of almost €30,000 in a south Dublin apartment scam has been delayed to allow him to complete his treatment for alcoholism.
Joseph O’Connor (48), of Decies Road, Ballyfermot, also used forged bank drafts and a forged driving licence to buy second-hand vehicles before selling them on to car traders.
He pleaded guilty to five sample charges of inducing named people to pay him either €1,150 or €2,300 for the lease of an apartment in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, between April 15th-18th, 2006.
He is awaiting sentence in Carlow Circuit Criminal Court in relation to another fraud offence.
He was due to be sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday but Judge Katherine Delahunt heard he was three months away from completing the residential portion of his alcohol treatment course and adjourned finalisation until October.
Four years for stabbing with key
A 20-year-old man who stabbed a woman in the face with a key, leaving her with two scars, has been jailed for four years by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Gary Hanley, of North Great Clarence Street, Dublin 1, was found guilty by a jury earlier this month of assaulting Martina Kelly and of threatening to kill or cause her serious injury in Clontarf on March 15th, 2007.
Five years for arms offence
A heroin addict caught with two hand grenades and a handgun down the front of his trousers has been jailed for five years by Judge Frank O’Donnell at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Paul Dunphy (45), of Allenton Drive, Tallaght, was arrested after gardaí received a tip-off.
He claimed he was just told to collect the items and was not sure what they were.