In Short

A round-up of today's other stories in brief

A round-up of today's other stories in brief

Escort says man claimed he was a rapist before assault, trial told

A female escort has told a Central Criminal Court jury a man she arranged to meet told her: “I am not a client, I am a rapist,” before beating her, tying her up and raping her.

A 40-year-old Dublin man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment, oral rape, rape, sexual assault with a mobile phone, sexual assault with the threat of violence and threats to kills the woman on December 9th, 2009, at a Dublin address.

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The 23-year-old woman told Patrick Marrinan, prosecuting, she began working as an escort because she needed the money. She said she did not like it and would only do so each month until she had enough money.

The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Butler and a jury of seven men and five women.

Jailed for €300,000 of cannabis resin

A former secretary of a pigeon club who was found in possession of over €300,000 worth of cannabis resin and who acted as a courier to deliver the drugs has received an eight-year sentence. Philip Sherry (34), Fortlawn Avenue, Clonsilla, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of €169,828 of cannabis at McDonald's car park at the Blanchardstown Shopping Centre on March 24th, 2010. He pleaded guilty to possession of €153,000 of cannabis at Blanchardstown Racing Pigeon Club, and €984 worth of cannabis at his home on that date. He also pleaded guilty to possession of a stun gun and air rifle without a licence at his home on that date. Judge Patricia Ryan suspended the final four years of the sentence.

Ex-gratia payment over school injuries

The settlement for the boy, now aged 11, was made without any admission of liability by the school. The court heard the child suffered serious scarring to his right cheek after another boy's wristwatch broke when his arm hit his face.

Glass from the watch was embedded in his cheek, the court heard.

Agreeing yesterday the case would be dismissed if it went to trial, Mr Justice John Quirke said: "You cannot stop children from running."

Brazilian guilty of flatmate's murder

A Brazilian man who stabbed his flatmate more than 40 times after an argument over her living arrangements has been found guilty of her murder.

Marcio Goncalves da Silva (31) had pleaded not guilty to murdering separated mother Joselita Dos Anjos Figueiredo Perieria Da Silva (33), to whom he was not related, on October 22nd, 2009.

He had pleaded guilty to manslaughter of the woman in the flat they shared above a takeaway on Tara Street, Tullamore. This was not accepted by the prosecution.

The jury of 10 men and two women deliberated for just over 3½ hours before finding the Brazilian native guilty of murder by a majority verdict of 11 to 1.