A round-up of other home news in brief
New chief executive for Courts Service
The board of the Courts Service has appointed Brendan Ryan as the new chief executive. He replaces PJ Fitzpatrick, who leaves the position at the end of the year after almost 10 years in the job, writes Carol Coulter.
The Courts Service was established in 1999 to run the courts and support the judiciary. Mr Ryan (50) holds a barrister-at-law degree and both a BA and H.Dip from University College Cork. He has worked in various positions with the courts over the last 27 years.
He took up the position of director of corporate services with the Courts Service when it was established.
Life sentence for manslaughter
A paranoid schizophrenic, who killed then dismembered a former neighbour before dumping his remains in a communal bin after a day's drinking, was yesterday given a life sentence at Belfast Crown Court.
Mark Anderson Warwick (43), Pottinger House, east Belfast, will serve a minimum of five years before the parole commissioners consider him eligible for release. He is likely to be transferred from Maghaberry prison to the Carstairs high-security hospital facility in Scotland to serve his sentence. Warwick admitted the manslaughter of William McClatchy (34) on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
Plea to sue bureau rejected
The High Court has ruled a Co Meath man cannot sue the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland for damages for personal injuries allegedly suffered when the stolen car in which he was a passenger crashed. Wayne Cottrell (32), a carpenter of Knockmark, Drumree, brought proceedings against the bureau and the driver of the car, DJ Hearns, Athlumney Castle, Navan, over the crash in July 2002 at Milltown, Ashbourne.
He claimed he was not aware the car was stolen when he accepted a lift in it.
Murder trial jury sent to hotel
The jury at a trial of a Dublin man accused of murder was last night sent to a hotel. Bryan Ryan (24), unemployed, formerly of Sheepmore Crescent, Blanchardstown, Co Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ian Tobin at Fortlawn Park, Blanchardstown, on May 27th, 2007. The jury yesterday heard closing speeches from the prosecution and defence.
Man charged with perjury
A man (28) was yesterday charged with two counts of perjury when giving evidence at the Central Criminal Court at the trial of two men accused of the murder of a father of one shot dead in Cork.
Thomas Morey was before Cork District Court charged with two counts of making a statement under oath, knowing it to be false, at the Central Criminal Court on February 7th/8th, 2006.
The charges relate to testimony given by Mr Morey at the trial of Cecil Lynch, St Declan's Road, Gurranebraher, and Jerry Ross, St Philomena's Road, Gurranebraher.
Both men were acquitted by the direction of Mr Justice Philip O'Sullivan of the murder of John Butler (20), Knocknaheeny Avenue, Cork, who was shot on October 7th, 2002. Mr Morey was remanded on bail to appear on January 13th.
New affordable homes for Dublin
Two housing projects to be built in Dublin at a cost of almost €60 million will provide affordable homes on either a rental or ownership basis over the coming years.
The National Association of Building Co-operatives has signed a €48.6 million contract with Collen Construction to develop 233 houses and apartments at Tyrrelstown, on a site provided by Fingal County Council. At Loughlinstown, McCabe Builders is to develop 49 apartments.