A round-up of today’s other stories in brief
Jail term suspended for builder who stored cocaine under duress
A builder was intimidated into storing almost €100,000 worth of cocaine by a member of a Limerick crime gang after a construction project went sour, a court heard yesterday.
Michael Curran (43), Springhouse, Kilsheane, Co Tipperary, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for the purposes of sale or supply on February 24th and 25th of last year.
Judge Thomas Teehan imposed a six-year prison sentence at Clonmel Circuit Court yesterday but suspended the entire term after hearing about the duress Mr Curran was under. He found he stored the drugs “for no direct profit for himself”.
Farmer in court over sheep carcass
A Kerry farmer appeared before Killarney District Court yesterday on a charge relating to allowing a dead sheep carcass on his land last April.
John O’Leary of Flesk Bridge, Muckross , Killarney, who is in his 30s, is facing a charge that on April 12th, 2010, at Coolmagort, Beaufort, he failed to collect “without undue delay” a dead sheep which died other than being slaughtered for human consumption, contrary to EC regulations 2002.
His solicitor Pádraig O’Connell, said it was a “complicated matter”, and argued “new regulations” did not apply. The matter was adjourned until early next year.
Director’s loan keeps leisure centre afloat
A Clare politician has thrown a lifeline to a struggling swimming and leisure centre by providing it with an interest-free loan of €75,000. Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind), a member of Clare County Council and a director of Shannon Swimming & Leisure Ltd, which runs the centre, confirmed yesterday she provided the loan. She said: “I believe in the centre and that is why I provided the money.”