In Short

A roundup of today's other court stories in brief

A roundup of today's other court stories in brief

Drug cache mothers lost the way home

Three young Cork mothers who drove to Dublin on a "day out" to collect €140,000 worth of cannabis and were caught by gardaí when they got lost on the way home have been remanded in custody pending sentence.

Vivienne O'Donovan (27), Farranferris Green, Farranree; Nicola Duggan (27), Dublin Street, Blackpool; Niamh Tracey (27), Fairhill Drive, Fairhill, all pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to having the drug for sale or supply on March 11th, 2005.

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Judge Frank O'Donnell, who remarked that the women appeared to be on a "day out", heard they had driven from Cork to the collection point in Dublin city centre but got lost on the way home and ended up driving northbound on the M1 towards the airport where they were stopped and searched by gardaí.

Judge O'Donnell told them: "You are not the classical vulnerable people deprived of options who act as drug couriers. You had options and you took the wrong one."

Alert garda praised by judge

A judge has praised the actions of a Limerick garda after a prisoner was allegedly found with drugs while in custody in his courtroom.

Judge Tom O'Donnell made his remarks at Limerick District Court yesterday where a 23-year-old man was charged with possession of cannabis resin.

David Sheehan, Cliodhna Park, Moyross, Limerick, is charged with having a small amount of the drug in the court on Merchants Quay, Limerick, on May 1st last.

Garda Stephen Jenkins said he was on escort duty on the day of the alleged offence in the custody area of the court.

He noticed Mr Sheehan, who was in custody on another matter at the time, put his hand towards his side very quickly.

Judge O'Donnell questioned if someone had given the accused drugs in his courtroom and asked, "Is nothing sacred?"

Defence solicitor Sarah Ryan indicated that her client, who is currently awaiting directions from the DPP in relation to another matter, would be pleading guilty to the charge.

Jury is sworn in for rape case

A jury has been sworn in at the Central Criminal Court for the trial of a Donegal man charged with the anal rape and sexual assault of a young woman in the county two years ago.

The man has pleaded not guilty to the two counts which are alleged to have occurred in a Donegal town in April 2005.

The jury which was sworn in in front of Justice Paul Carney was told that the trial will commence at 11am today. The trial is expected to last six days.

Mother fined over school absences

A mother of five who failed to send her two sons to school was convicted and fined €50 in Tallaght Court.

The court had previously heard that in the 2005-2006 school year, the older boy, who is 12, attended school 29 days out of a total of 141 while her younger son, aged nine, attended 42 days out of a possible 141.

The 31-year old woman, with an address in Tallaght, had previously pleaded guilty to two summonses that on May 23rd, 2006, she failed to comply with an order made a week previously requiring her to secure the attendance of her two sons at a national school in west Tallaght.