A sex offender serving a four-year sentence after being convicted in a retrial of sexually assaulting a young girl over 20 years ago, has been awarded costs for five days of the first trial.
Gerard McGeehan (47), formerly of Clanmaurice Road, Donnycarney, was found guilty in February by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury of two counts of sexually assaulting the girl in 1975 and 1982 when she was aged six and 12.
The jury was discharged in his first trial in December 2004 when Judge Michael White ruled that the trial would not be completed before the end of term.
Felix McEnroy SC, defending McGeehan in the first trial, told Judge White the fault for the overrun of the first trial rested with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Judge White ruled that the evidence sought by the defence during the course of the trial was relevant to the defence's case and therefore should have been furnished by the DPP.
Labourer jailed for attack on woman
A labourer who sexually assaulted a young student as she made her way home from a disco in an isolated area of Connemara, was sentenced to three years in prison yesterday.
Judge Raymond Groarke said Michael Devane (19), Callowfeenish, Carna, Co Galway, had lain in wait for his victim, ambushed her and violently attacked her just yards from her home.
The victim had just alighted from a bus at 5am when the attack took place.
The court heard the accused struck the woman in the face, pushed her against a wall and held a knife to her throat. He covered her mouth with his hand and then sexually assaulted her. He punched and kicked his victim before stealing her purse and running away.
Devane was sentenced to three years in prison on each charge to run concurrently. He has also been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.
Teacher cleared of abusing pupils
A Galway primary school teacher has been found not guilty by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of sexually assaulting female pupils at his school.
The jury acquitted the 61-year-old man following six and half hours deliberations and after spending a night in a hotel.
He had pleaded not guilty to six charges of sexual assault on five girls, whom he taught when they were in 2nd and 3rd class, on dates from 1998 to 2000.
Judge Donagh McDonagh thanked the jury and excused them from further service for 10 years.
Double assault case adjourned
A man accused of a serious double assault in a city centre pub had his case further adjourned for service of his book of evidence.
John Walsh (29), Basin Lane, Dublin, is charged with assaulting Christopher and Jacqueline Dowdall causing harm at Morrissey's Pub, Cork Street, Dublin, on September 4th last.
Yesterday in Kilmainham District Court, Mr Walsh was before Judge Derek McVeigh for service of his book of evidence.
Counsel for Walsh said that they were objecting to a nickname for Walsh being included in the book and added that her instructions were the DPP had consented to remove the nickname from her client's name.
Judge McVeigh remanded Walsh on continuing bail to September.