A Cavan farmer who raped and sexually assaulted the 13-year-old daughter of a long-time friend has been jailed for five years by Mr Justice Paul Carney.
Victor Thompson, an agricultural contractor, worked on the victim's family farm and all the incidents, except for one on his own farm, occurred there, the Central Criminal Court heard.
Thompson (57), a married father of three, of Canningstown, Cootehill, pleaded guilty to nine counts of sexual assault and rape between June 2000 and February 2001.
€155,000 for boy in harvester accident
A boy who suffered severe injuries to his right arm when it became entangled in a potato harvester is to be paid €155,000 and costs under a settlement of his action approved by the High Court yesterday.
Shaun McCallion (14), Ardmore, Muff, Co Donegal, suing by his mother, Mrs Teresa McCallion, brought his action against a farmer, Mr Robert Allen, Aught, Muff, on whose lands the accident occurred; Mr Gerard Hegarty, Aught, the operator of the harvester; and Mr Charles Hegarty, Aught, its owner.
The accident happened on October 27th, 1997, when Shaun was nine. He got on to the harvester while it was being towed by a tractor during potato harvesting operations. His anorak got caught and he was pulled into the machine. He had to wait 30 minutes before his arm was released.
He has had four operations to date and may require further surgery.
INLA threat to factory foreman
A man whose brother was shot dead by his INLA associates a year ago has been given a five-year suspended sentence by Judge Michael White at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for conspiring to threaten a factory foreman.
John Lenihan (32), Grange Abbey Road, Donaghmeade, Dublin, admitted he hired an INLA faction through his brother to threaten the man. The man's wife was confronted in her house on June 6th, 2001, by masked and armed men who issued threats against her husband.
Lenihan's brother, Derek (27), from Drumheath Drive, Blanchardstown, Dublin, died in Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital on December 30th, 2001, after being shot in the thighs by the INLA on the Louth-Armagh border.
Lenihan also pleaded guilty to having unlawful possession of six shotgun cartridges and to handling a stolen car.
Guilty of rapes, false imprisonment
A Dublin man has pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to raping two Australian women in their flat in Rathmines, Dublin.
Barry McGee (20), Foxfield Grove, Raheny, pleaded guilty to counts of rape and sexual assault. He also pleaded guilty to charges of unlawfully restricting the women's personal liberty, threatening to kill them and sexual assault by subjecting the women to degradation of a grave nature.
Mr Justice Paul Carney certified McGee as a sex offender and remanded him in custody until February 21st for sentence.
Woman charged over cocaine
A woman (37) appeared in court yesterday charged in connection with a major cocaine seizure at a house on the northside of Dublin on Wednesday. Ms Jackie Griffin (37) was charged with possession and possession for supply of an estimated €100,000 worth of the drug at her home in Crinion Strand.
Judge William Early refused bail and remanded her to appear in court in a week.