The other court news stories of the day in short...
Irish Rail inspector loses action
A High Court judge has ruled there was nothing Irish Rail could reasonably have done to prevent two assaults by passengers on one of its ticket inspectors, including one where the inspector was injured with a Stanley knife.
On that and other grounds, Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill yesterday dismissed an action by the inspector, Nigel Broughal (39), St Anne’s Park, Shankill, Co Dublin, against the company over the incidents.
Iarnród Éireann had denied negligence and also pleaded that Mr Broughal had failed to use appropriate conflict resolution techniques in which he was trained by the company.
The case arose from two incidents. The first occurred in 2002 when Mr Broughal said he was attacked, pushed and bitten twice on the leg by a passenger at Pearse Station. The second took place in January 2004 at Seapoint where Mr Broughal was attacked by a passenger with a Stanley knife and suffered several lacerations.
Dublin man jailed for INLA membership
A Dublin man was jailed for four years by the Special Criminal Court yesterday for INLA membership.
Gareth Byrne (28) of Park Crescent, Kimmage, Dublin, pleaded guilty before the three-judge, non-jury court on January 14th last to membership of an illegal organisation, namely the Irish National Liberation Army, on September 9th, 2008.
Det Sgt Patrick O’Malley told Paul Greene SC, prosecuting, that Byrne was arrested on September 9th, 2008, and detained under section 30 of the Offences against the State Act.
He said Byrne, a father of one, made an early admission as to his membership of the organisation.
A term of four years was imposed, backdated to the first of this month for time already served in custody.
Man (82) on trial for sex assaults of girls
An 82-year-old man has gone on trial charged with 16 counts of indecent and sexual assault against three schoolgirls, one of whom lived next door to him, writes Marese McDonagh.
The defendant pleaded not guilty at Carrick-on-Shannon Circuit Court yesterday to 13 counts of indecent assault and three counts of sexual assault dating from October 1981 to August 1991.
One of the three complainants, now aged 37, said the accused sexually assaulted her when she played cards in his home after his wife made tea and soda bread for herself and a friend. Another woman said her family lived next door to the accused and she used to play ball with his son. The trial continues today.
Extradited pensioner in sex offence case
A pensioner who was extradited from Co Donegal earlier this year appeared in court in Derry yesterday charged with committing 166 sex offences against two girls and a woman.
The 66-year-old defendant, who cannot be named in order to protect the identities of the three complainants, is alleged to have committed the offences in Derry over an 11-year period, starting in October 1970.
He faces 140 charges of indecent assault, 26 charges of gross indecency with a child, and two charges of assault.
District Judge Barney McElholm released the defendant on conditional bail until he is arraigned before the crown court in Derry on March 16th.