A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Man found guilty of child sex offences
A man has been found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury of orally raping, sexually assaulting and attempting to rape a then 13-year-old Leitrim girl in 1995.
John Mold (53), an Englishman also known as John Muir, a writer, Rassaun West, Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim, was remanded for sentence on December 20th.
Mr Justice Henry Abbott directed that Mold be registered as a certified sex offender and that a victim impact report be prepared for the sentence hearing.
Mold was convicted on one charge of oral rape, one of attempted rape and 38 of sexual assault between June 2nd and November 11th, 1995. Mold was found not guilty of a further two charges of orally raping the now 24-year- old victim and the jury failed to agree on a further count of oral rape.
No judges to hear murder case
A jury in the trial for murder of a Wexford man has been discharged at the Central Criminal Court after there were no judges available to hear the case.
Nicholas Donnelly (28), Talbot Green, Wexford, has denied the murder of Gordon Farrell (20) at Bernadette Place in Wexford in September 2001. The trial is expected to go ahead on Monday when a new jury will be sworn in.
IRA man freed pending challenge
A Dublin Sinn Féin member who was jailed for four years for IRA membership last year was freed on bail by the Court of Criminal Appeal yesterday pending the outcome of a landmark legal challenge to "emergency" legislation.
The court freed Kenneth Donohoe on his own bail of €1,000 and an independent surety of €18,000. It ordered him to sign on daily at Crumlin Garda station and not to associate with anyone convicted of a scheduled offence.
Ruling on the bail application, Ms Justice Fidelma Macken said the three-judge court was satisfied that in the interests of justice, bail ought to be granted.
Tiler set fire to cars over debt
A tiler who set fire to two cars outside a customer's house because he thought he was still owed money for his work has been given a three year suspended sentence and may have to carry out 240 hours of community service.
Patrick Clooney (23), Lally Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin, pleaded guilty to arson at Barton Drive, Rathfarnham, on May 30th, 2003.
The court heard the estimated damage to both cars was €5,000 but it cost the injured party €12,000 to replace the vehicles.
Garda Michael Kiely agreed that "this bizarre and reckless incident" had occurred because Clooney thought he was still owed money by the house owner from a tiling job he had carried out 12 months before.
He further agreed that this man did not owe any money to Clooney because the payment had been sent to the builder who was supposed to pass it on.
Ulster Bank porter stole €75,000
An Ulster Bank porter who stole €75,000 from the bank to repay debts he ran up in a "fanciful and unrealistic scheme" of exchanging Irish pounds for sterling at a loss to himself, has been ordered to carry out 240 hours work in the community.
Paul Kavanagh (33), Basin Street, Dublin, played a game of "musical chairs" with people's money and as his counsel Remy Farrell told the court: "When the music stopped, a lot of people were left without a profit."
Kavanagh pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to six counts of theft from several people on various dates in October and November 2002 and to one count of theft of €75,000 from the Ulster Bank, Walkinstown, on November 5th, 2002.
Women held after seizure of 4kg of cocaine
Gardaí have seized have 4kg of cocaine following a surveillance operation in Limerick city. Two women, aged 24 and 26, were detained yesterday at Roxboro Road Garda station.
The Garda Press Office said the cocaine seized may have a potential street value of up to €280,000.
Meanwhile in Dublin, gardaí from the National Drugs Unit, Clondalkin drugs unit and customs officers seized up to 30kg of khat following a search of a house in Donamore in Tallaght. One man was arrested and is being held at Clondalkin Garda station.
This seizure may have a potential street value of up to €60,000.
Navan man held over drugs find
A man has been remanded in custody with consent to bail at Navan Court following a cannabis drugs seizure last week.
Judge John Brophy remanded Hamilton Wilson, (27), Tara Court Square, Proudstown Road, Navan, in custody to December 7th with consent to bail.
The street value of the cannabis seized was estimated at €200,000. Bail was fixed at €15,000 plus an independent surety of €30,000 to be approved of by the court or €30,000 cash.