A round-up of this week's other home news stories in brief ...
Get alternative to cannabis, judge counsels
A man who said he took cannabis to ease his back pain was advised by a judge to get a legal alternative from his doctor. Michael Bergin (46), Wolfe Tone Villas, Wexford town, was charged with having drugs at Talbot Green on November 23rd, 2007.
Garda Edward Dunne said he searched the house having obtained a warrant. He asked Bergin if there were any drugs in the house and he took him to the kitchen and showed him a small piece of cannabis on top of the fridge.
Siobhán Dunne, defending, said her client, a painter, has had chronic back pain for the past five years for which he self-medicates with cannabis.
Judge William Hammill said: “Why doesn’t he just go to the doctor and get treatment? He would probably get drugs there anyway.” Judge Hammill fined him €150 for the offence.
Man (32) sent for murder trial
A 32-year-old Co Tipperary man has been sent forward to the Central Criminal Court for the murder of a 21-year-old man at a house in Waterford city over a year ago.
Robert Devine, Wheatfields, Clonmel, appeared at Waterford District Court yesterday charged with the murder of Joseph Cummins (21). Mr Cummins, originally from the city but who later moved to The Willows, Cairnwood, Tramore, died after being stabbed on November 24th, 2007.
Man admits apartment assault
A 24-year-old Limerick man has pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to a man who was found dead in an apartment complex in the city last year. David Byrnes, originally from Castleconnell in Limerick but with an address in Cork, has admitted assaulting Brendan McEvoy (50) at Cherrydale Court, Dublin Road, Limerick, on June 19th last. Mr McEvoy, from Bagenalstown, Co Carlow, had been studying for a law degree at the University of Limerick. Judge Carroll Moran remanded Byrnes in custody for sentencing on March 2nd.
Drugs worth 50,000 seized
Drugs with a potential street value of €50,000 were seized in Cork yesterday evening. Gardaí from the National Drugs Unit, supported by the Cork Divisional Drugs Unit, stopped and searched a car in the Watergrasshill area.
Five kilos of suspected cannabis were seized. A 37-year-old man was arrested and detained at Cobh Garda Station under Section 2 of The Drug Trafficking Act.
In a separate incident, three firearms were recovered in the Inniscarra area of County Cork shortly before 6pm yesterday. The weapons are believed to be handguns. Gardaí were alerted to the find by a member of the public.
Taxi drivers march in protest
More than 600 taxi drivers marched through Dublin city centre to the Dáil yesterday as part of their campaign to have a restriction placed on the numbers entering the industry. The march, which began at Parnell Square at 11.30am, was the third protest organised by the recently formed Taxi Drivers For Change.
The group, which has members of all taxi unions, said it had formed to present a united front from all parts of the country in response to the difficulties in the industry and to highlight drivers’ dissatisfaction with the lack of response to their concerns from taxi regulator Kathleen Doyle or Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey.