In short

A round-up of today's other stories in brief

A round-up of today's other stories in brief

Court told of alleged rape of sister

A Cork woman has claimed that her brother raped her "a 100 times a year and 800 times in total".

She said he treated her like a "rag doll" and a "slab of meat" and that he robbed her of her childhood.

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"I felt sick. I knew at eight years of age that this was wrong but who could I tell?" she said after describing the first time she alleged her brother raped her.

The 50-year-old man has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin to eight charges of raping and sexually assaulting her between 1971 and 1979 in Cork.

He also denies five charges of raping and sexually assaulting his older sister between 1971 and 1976.

Rifle row leads to court action

A deer hunter who claims gardaí unreasonably refused him a licence because of the calibre of the gun has begun High Court proceedings to have the refusal quashed.

Thomas O'Leary, Dromhall Park, Killarney, Co Kerry, has brought the case against Supt Michael Maher over his refusal to licence a Steyr Mannlicher .308 calibre rifle.

A number of similar actions are pending and the outcome of Mr O'Leary's case will determine whether the others will proceed, Ms Justice Maureen Clark was told yesterday by Gerard Hogan SC, for Mr O'Leary.

Supt Maher is opposing Mr O'Leary's application and claims the .308 rifle is a military-style firearm used by Nato, the Irish and Swiss armies, and constitutes an unacceptable risk and danger to the safety of the public.

Rape trial ends in deadlock

A jury has failed to reach a verdict in the trial of a Galway man accused of raping a neighbour in his own home almost 30 years ago.

Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy discharged the jurors after they announced they were deadlocked. It was the sixth day of the trial.

The 57-year-old accused man had pleaded not guilty to two counts of raping the woman in 1972 and 1979.

Louth man on arms charge

A Co Louth man has been remanded in custody at the High Court on a warrant for his extradition to Lithuania in connection with an alleged attempt to buy arms there.

Brendan McGuigan (28) New Houses, Knocknagoran, Omeath, is wanted by the Lithuanian authorities who allege that he and others went there in 2007 and attempted to buy firearms, ammunition and explosive devices.

Mr Justice Michael Peart said he was satisfied that Mr McGuigan was the person named in the arrest warrant and he remanded him in custody to next Wednesday when the case will again come before the court.