Today's other court stories in brief
Judge critical of damage case evidence
A judge said it was extraordinary that witnesses to a serious breakdown in public order in Rathnew, Co Wicklow, nearly three years ago were not called to give evidence in a case heard at Arklow District Court yesterday.
Thomas Moorehouse snr, Ocean View, Rathnew, was charged with causing criminal damage to a car belonging to Martin Murphy, Seaview Heights, Rathnew, at The Rock, Rathnew, on May 25th, 2005.
During the hearing both Moorehouse and Mr Murphy said that they had been assaulted and their evidence was supported by respective members of their family.
Judge William Hamill said that if he was to believe one version of events, there was a huge breakdown in public order in Rathnew on the occasion, but there was no Garda investigation of that. "There were witnesses available and I find it extraordinary that they were not called," he said.
He said that he found it staggering that the sequence of events told to the court led to only one charge. Judge Hamill said he was convicting Moorehouse of criminal damage. The case was adjourned to Wicklow District Court on April 4th for sentence.
Addict jailed for robberies
A drug addict who has spent most of his adult life in jail has been sentenced to another five years by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a string of violent robberies and a burglary.
Philip McCann (31), Shancastle Park, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to four counts of robbing a chip shop, a pharmacy and a betting shop and one count of burglary of a house in Lucan between November 2006 and March 2007.
McCann has 20 previous convictions and has served 12-and-a-half years in prison on robbery and burglary counts alone.
Judge Desmond Hogan sentenced McCann to two years for the burglary of the house and three years on each count of robbery. He suspended the final year on condition he enter a drug-treatment course on his release.
Jury split on rape charges
A jury has disagreed on outstanding charges against a Cork man already found guilty by them this week of raping his two sisters 30 years ago.
The jury found the 50-year-old man guilty on Wednesday on four charges - one each of rape and of indecent assault of each sister in 1971-1972. The jury spent two nights in a hotel in an attempt to reach verdicts on 22 remaining charges.