In short

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

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

Man cleared of sexual assault of girl

A 51-year-old Cork man was found not guilty of sexually assaulting a teenage girl on a bus when he appeared before Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday. James O'Driscoll, Marsh Road, Skibbereen had pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting the 15-year-old girl on a bus from Bandon to Cork city on November 11th, 2006. The teenager had alleged that Mr O'Driscoll had sat beside her and touched her.

Test drive car not returned

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A gambling addict who took a car for a test drive and never returned it was sentenced to two years in jail yesterday. Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard that father of two Ian O'Sullivan had set up a Gamblers Anonymous group in Cork Prison to help himself and others address their gambling problems.

O'Sullivan, St Michael's Close, Mahon, pleaded guilty to stealing a car worth €13,000 from Johnson and Perrot Motors, Douglas Road, Cork on January 17th, 2007.

The court heard the defendant was serving a sentence for another offence and was not due for release until July 2009. Judge Carroll Moran imposed a sentence of three years to start from October 30th 2007 and he suspended the last year of the sentence.

Woman tells court of rape

A woman has told the Central Criminal Court in Dublin that her older brother raped her and her younger sister in turn in her mother's bedroom while her parents were out shopping. She said that during the abuse she felt numb. "I was very afraid of him. I blanked it out. It was the only way I could survive".

The Cork woman was giving evidence in the trial of her brother who has pleaded not guilty to five charges of raping and sexually assaulting her on dates between 1971 and 1976. The 50-year-old man has also denied eight charges of raping and sexually assaulting her then eight-year-old sister on dates between 1971 and 1979.

The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Butler and a jury.

Baby for wife of victim

The widow of young Sligo man Tom Ward, who was killed by a blow from a hatchet last August, has given birth to a son. Clíona Ward said she and her family will have peace of mind only when her husband's killers are caught.No charges have been brought.

Man jailed in ecstasy case

A Cork father of two was sentenced to eight years in prison yesterday for the possession of over €100,000 worth of ecstasy tablets for sale or supply.

Brendan Clifford (29), The Orchards, Mallow pleaded guilty to the possession of 10,000 ecstasy tablets at Carhoo Upper, Coachford, Co Cork on October 26th, 2006.