A Galway city centre pub must close for two days after being convicted yesterday at Galway District Court of selling a vodka drink to a 17-year-old girl.
Judge Mary Fahy accepted the licensee was doing his best to curb under-age drinking but young girls, she said, can make themselves look a lot older as they try and get into bars popular with older teenagers.
Mr Michael Dooley, licensee of Mixer's Bar, Mary Street, pleaded guilty to permitting the girl to consume a bottle of WKD vodka drink on his premises and also to a second charge of allowing the girl to be on the premises after 9 p.m.
The court heard the pub was inspected at 12.30 a.m. on April 24th last by Garda Ivan Cunnane, who spoke to the girl. She told him at first she was 18, but later admitted to being 17.
Defence solicitor Mr Cathal Gibbons said his client was in business for seven years and was doing his best to stop under-age drinking. He had employed two staff to inspect people's identification at the door and this was again checked at the counter by bar staff.
As this was his first offence and he had pleaded guilty, the judge ordered closure of the pub for two days and imposed a fine of €500 on the first charge, taking the second charge into account.
Admitted stabbing friend to death
A Limerick man (26) with 51 previous convictions stabbed his best friend to death because he "ratted" on him about an attempted robbery, a court heard yesterday.
Michael Hayes, Galvone Road, Kennedy Park, Limerick, pleaded guilty at Limerick Circuit Court to the manslaughter of James Kelly (42) at Kennedy Park on June 28th, 2001.
The father of four died after he was stabbed three times, once in the head and twice in the leg, Judge Carroll Moran was told yesterday.
A knife with a 19.5cm long blade was used to inflict the fatal stab wounds, according to Det Garda Michael Murphy, who produced the the weapon in court.
Hayes told gardaí he stabbed Mr Kelly after the victim swung a bottle of vodka at him.
Judge Moran adjourned sentencing for two weeks.
Jailed for threat against witness
A Limerick man who swore on his baby's life to kill the chief prosecution witness in the Kieran Keane murder trial has been jailed for 4 years.
John Dundon (22) of Mayorstone Court, Limerick, pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill or cause serious harm to Mr Eoin Treacy, through his wife Ms Donna Treacy, on November 13th, 2002, at Cloverhill.
Judge Yvonne Murphy at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court described it as a grave crime as it represented "an offence against public justice".
She said it was very serious "to threaten the central witness in a murder trial", particularly where that person was giving evidence regarding an attempt on his own life.
Dundon's brother, Dessie Dundon, and his cousin were two of five people who were convicted of the murder of Kieran Keane and the attempted murder of Owen Treacy.
Denies withholding information
A Limerick man (46) accused of withholding information from gardaí in a murder investigation has been sent forward for trial.
Mr John O'Donnell, with an address at Colmcille Street, St Mary's Park, Limerick, denies failing to disclose information in relation to the murder of John Ryan 18 months ago.
John Ryan (47) was shot dead in an apparent gangland killing as he worked on a garden patio in Thomondgate, Limerick, in July 2003.
No-one has been charged with his murder.
The accused was granted bail.