In short

A round-up of today's other court news in brief...

A round-up of today's other court news in brief ...

Boxing coach loses appeal on assaults

The Court of Criminal Appeal has dismissed an appeal by a boxing coach against his conviction for sexually abusing two boys whom he had trained.

The coach, Frank Mulligan, (62), Mulladuff, Smithboro, Co Monaghan, also lost his bid to have his seven-year sentence reduced.

READ MORE

Mr Justice Nial Fennelly, giving the court’s decision, said Mulligan’s behaviour involved “an abuse of trust of the most appalling kind”.

Mulligan was jailed last April for seven years by Judge John O’Hagan at Cavan Circuit Criminal Court for the buggery, indecent assault and sexual assault of the two boys.

€719,000 for man hurt in crash

A man who suffered severe injuries as a result of being thrown out of the rear window of a taxi when it was involved in a collision has been awarded €719,985 damages at the High Court.

Patrick Quinn (31), Belgrave Road, Clontarf, Dublin, had sued Stephen Dunne, a taxi driver, Moyclare Close, Baldoyle, Dublin, and the Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland over the incident which occurred at about 2am on February 9th, 2003.

The damages award is against both defendants.

Cafe operators challenge move

The operators of the Kitchen Cafe in Brown Thomas’s store in Dublin have brought a High Court challenge to moves by the store to terminate an agreement to run the restaurant.

Relax Food Corporation claims the store owners have not validly terminated the concession to run the restaurant.

Sex abuse trial set for next year

A Galway town commissioner is to stand trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court next year for allegedly sexually abusing a male over 30 years ago.

Paul O’Grady (62), Dublin Road, Tuam, an auctioneer and former president of the Vintners’ Federation, denies seven charges of indecent assault on dates between 1974 and 1976.

Judge Katherine Delahunt remanded Mr O’Grady on continuing bail to the trial date next February.

Man jailed for killing birds

A young Skerries man who broke into an aviary and killed 12 “unusual and exotic display birds” by pulling their heads off has been given a three-year sentence by Judge Patricia Ryan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Glen Conroy (21), Mourne View, had drunk 12 cans of beer and a litre of vodka when he and an accomplice broke into Newbridge House in Donabate, which contains an aviary for exotic and rare birds.

Man charged with abduction

A 26-year-old local man appeared before the Magistrate’s Court in Derry yesterday charged with abducting a nine-year-old boy in Limavady, Co Derry, on Wednesday.

Ryan Gerard McGlinchey, no fixed abode, faces two charges of abducting the child and one of detaining the child against his will. He also faces two charges of dangerous driving and of driving without insurance and without a driver’s licence. He is also charged with three theft offences and with assaulting a man in his 20s.

He was remanded in custody until April 23rd.