A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Teenager charged with man's murder
A TEENAGER has been charged with the murder last December of a father of two in Drogheda, Co Louth, writes Elaine Keogh.
Desmond Kimmins from Ballsgrove, Drogheda, died after a stabbing incident in a house in Rathmullen Park on December 30th last.
At Drogheda District Court yesterday Keith Cunningham (19), of Halpin's Terrace, Drogheda, was charged with his murder contrary to common law.
Mr Cunningham was previously charged with assault causing harm to Mr Kimmins, but Insp Martin Smithers told Judge Flann Brennan that the State's application was that this charge be withdrawn.
Mr Cunningham was remanded in custody on the murder charge to appear before Cloverhill District Court next Thursday.
Farmer fined for starving horse
A farmer who allowed an old horse to starve on his land has been fined and ordered to pay more than €3,300 in expenses to the ISPCA. The animal was described by an examining vet as being "the skinniest horse" he had ever seen.
John Dunphy (53), with an address at Knockanoran, Durrow, Co Laois, appeared before Portlaoise District Court yesterday.
Brendan Hughes, an animal welfare inspector with the ISPCA, told the court the only reason the horse was not destroyed was due to the care given to it by vets from UCD.
Josephine Fitzpatrick, solicitor for Mr Dunphy, said her client had separated from his wife and that he had "put his head in the sand in relation to the horse".
Woman killed by toxic yew tea
A 37-year-old woman who was found dead in her Dublin apartment by her parents on Christmas Day died after drinking a tea made from toxic yew needles, an inquest has heard.
A postmortem provided no anatomical cause of death and no drugs and alcohol but she tested positive for the presence of taxine B, a highly toxic substance found in the yew seed. An analysis of seeds found in the apartment confirmed they were yew seeds. A cause of death of taxine toxicity was recorded at the inquest and the coroner recorded an open verdict.
Getaway driver pleads guilty
A woman who drove a getaway car for a member of an armed gang that had just raided Bettystown post office appeared before Drogheda District Court yesterday.
Stacey Harcourt (25), from Crannogue Close, Ballymun, Dublin, pleaded guilty to the offence of impeding an apprehension or prosecution in relation to the raid on September 6th, 2005.
Det Garda Seán Fitzpatrick told Drogheda District Court that five armed men escaped with €80,000 cash in an Audi that was later found burnt out. Four of the men fled in a silver car and the fifth, with the firearms and cash, went with her. Judge Flann Brennan adjourned the case until May and asked for a probation report.
Man had taken cocktail of drugs
A young man who was found collapsed on his bedroom floor by his father had taken a cocktail of drugs including cocaine and methadone, an inquest heard yesterday. Jason Gannon (34) of Belclare Park, Poppintree, Ballymun, Dublin, had been socialising at a friend's house the night before he was discovered, Dublin City Coroner's Court heard.