A round-up of other courts news in brief
Man charged with murder of father
A 26-year-old man was yesterday returned for trial to the Central Criminal Court after he was arrested and charged with the murder of his father who was found with stab wounds at their home in Cork city last year.
David Hyland, St Francis’s Avenue, off College Road, Cork was charged with the murder of accountant John Hyland (69) at Auburne between July 11th and 12th, 2008.
Yesterday at Cork District Court, Det Sgt Tim Murphy gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution and told the court Mr Hyland made no reply to the charge.
A book of evidence was served on Mr Hyland and Insp Mary King applied for a return for trial to the current sittings of the Central Criminal Court. Judge Uinsinn Mac Gruairc granted the application and remanded Mr Hyland in custody to appear at the Central Criminal Court.
Louth man on INLA charges
A Co Louth man denied membership of the INLA at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday. Anthony Lee (32), Carnbeg, Doylesfort Road, Dundalk, pleaded not guilty to membership of the INLA on December 20th, 2007.
Mr Justice John MacMenamin, presiding, remanded Mr Lee on continuing bail until today when his trial is due to begin.
Architect settles bullying case
An architect who claimed in court he was bullied for several years by his employers has settled his case.
The company which employed Donal O’Connell told the Circuit Civil Court he had been made redundant following a significant drop in fees income. Cathy Maguire, counsel for architects Salmon Hynes and Associates, said Mr O’Connell’s dismissal had been a genuine redundancy.
She said a high point of fees income of €300,000 had dropped to €40,000 so far this year. She said Mr O’Connell, of Crofton Terrace, Dún Laoghaire, had been awarded €34,000 compensation by the Employment Appeals Tribunal for unfair dismissal.
Company partners John Salmon and Ciarán Hynes were appealing the tribunal decision and the award and this was being cross-appealed by Mr O’Connell. Stephen O’Sullivan, counsel for Mr O’Connell, told the court that as well as appealing for an increase in the amount of compensation, his client had taken out personal injuries proceedings against Salmon and Hynes in which he alleged he had suffered three to four years of bullying.
When Judge Jacqueline Linnane said she would direct that the appeals and the personal injury claim be heard together the parties adjourned for talks and later informed the court that all matters had been settled.
Road-sweeping firm insolvent
The High Court has appointed a provisional liquidator to a road-sweeping firm employing 27 people after being told the company is insolvent. Ms Justice Mary Laffoy yesterday appointed Paul McCann of Grant Thornton as provisional liquidator to Wikimi Ltd, trading as Irish Sweeper Services, Blessington, Co Wicklow. The petition seeking the appointment of a liquidator was moved by the company itself. Gary McCarthy, for the company, said it had employed more than 50 people at its peak in 2006 but has suffered due to the downturn in the construction sector.