A round-up of today's other regional news in brief
Two in custody over Tipperary town assaults
Two men charged with a number of serious assaults in Tipperary town on St Patrick's Day were remanded in custody yesterday at Cashel District Court. Dan Delaney (18) and Edward Delaney (21), Carrowclough, Tipperary, were arrested on Wednesday.
Dan Delaney was charged with four counts of assault causing harm and one count of assault. Edward Delaney was charged with two counts of assault and three counts of assault causing harm.
All charges relate to attacks on individuals at Main Street, Tipperary, and Kickham Place, Tipperary. An application for bail for both men was refused. Dan Delaney was remanded in custody to Nenagh District Court today. Edward Delaney was remanded in custody to Tippler District Court on April 1st. Five men have now been charged in connection with assaults in Tipperary town on St Patrick’s Day.
A 19-year old man was remanded in custody at Tipperary District Court on Wednesday charged with assault causing harm and is due to appear again before that court on April 1st. Two other men aged 23 and 18, also charged with assault causing harm, have been remanded on bail to appear at Tipperary District Court on April 22nd.
INLA membership trial collapses
The trial of a Dundalk man accused of INLA membership collapsed at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday after it emerged a Special Branch detective driver for the presiding judge was a witness in the case.
Prosecuting counsel applied to the court to have the trial of Anthony Lee relisted after Mr Justice John MacMenamin said his driver was a prosecution witness.
Judges sitting at the Special Criminal Court are given drivers from the Garda Special Detective Unit during their period at the court. The development came towards the end of the prosecution case on the fifth day of trial.
Anthony Lee (33), Carnbeg, Doylesfort Road, Dundalk, Co Louth, had pleaded not guilty to membership of the INLA on December 20th, 2007.
The court heard Mr Lee was arrested after detectives stopped the car in which he was a passenger and recovered Garda uniforms, two bulletproof vests and two black bomber jackets with “Republican Socialist Movement Dundalk” on the back. The court remanded Mr Lee on continuing bail.
In a statement, the Courts Service said it had no part in the selection of witnesses or drivers. “The presiding judge has written to the Garda Commissioner . . . asking that such a situation does not reoccur,” it said.
Three accused of brothel keeping
Three women have appeared at Dundalk District Court charged with keeping a brothel. Joy Folorunsho (22), Condor St, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Hope Obazee (27), St Nicholas Gardens, Bridge St, Dundalk, and Joy Obazee (23), The Drive, Broadale, Douglas, Cork, each face a single charge of keeping a brothel at Seatown, Dundalk on December 2nd last. The matter was adjourned until June 24th.
Council not to blame for truancy
A judge has refused to accept that a local authority is responsible for a nine-year-old girl missing extended periods of school.
The girl’s parents, who are being prosecuted by the National Education and Welfare Board, claim their daughter missed eight weeks of one school year because their two-bedroom council house in Limerick city is overrun with rats.
At Limerick District Court Judge Tom O’Donnell said it was “fundamentally wrong” that the defendants had made “determined efforts” to blame Limerick City Council for their child’s absenteeism.