A Dublin teenager has pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the unlawful killing of 30-year-old taxi-driver Robert McGowan last January.
The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was driving the stolen car which ran into Mr McGowan's taxi on January 11th. Mr McGowan, Galtymore Road, Drimnagh, died in the early hours of the same day. Another teenager who was a passenger in the stolen car, was also killed in the crash.
The second passenger in the car, also 17-years-old, pleaded guilty to allowing himself to be carried in a stolen car.
Both minors are to be sentenced on October 22nd, 2003 by Judge Desmond Hogan who remanded them in custody.
Brain damages case continues
Medical evidence continued in the High Court yesterday in the action brought by a five-year-old brain damaged girl which was settled against one of the two defendants last week for more than €4.25 million without admission of liability. The settlement was one of the biggest of its kind ever.
On Friday last, Mr Justice Eamon de Valera was told that the action by Olivia Pyne, suing by her mother, Mrs Mary Pyne (42), Ennis Road, Kildysart, Co Clare, against the Western Health Board, Galway, had been settled subject to court approval. The judge approved the settlement after being given a breakdown of the proposed settlement figure.
Olivia had also sued Dr Declan Egan, a consultant gynaecologist, Flood Street, Galwa,and it was stated on Friday the case would proceed to determine issues between the two defendants. That aspect of the case continued yesterday with medical evidence.
Mr Justice de Valera had been told at the opening of the hearing that the action followed the birth of Olivia at University College Hospital, Galway, on June 4th, 1998.
She is severely handicapped and has cerebral palsy and will require care for the rest of her life and ongoing physiotherapy. The family home will have to be modified to provide adequate accommodation for her, at a cost of more than €300,000.The defendants denied the claims.
Armed brothers rob woman (86)
An 86-year-old woman was warned she would be shot in her bed by two brothers who robbed her home in the early hours of Monday morning, it was alleged at a special court sitting.
The Limerick brothers, aged (22) and (16), were yesterday charged with robbing a house in the Thomondgate area of the city.
During a special sitting of Limerick District Court yesterday, Det Insp Jim Browne alleged the brothers had entered the pensioner's home masked and armed with a hammer. "The 86- year-old woman was asleep in her bed when she was confronted by two masked persons who threatened her with a hammer and threatened she would be shot," said Det Insp Browne.
Det Insp Browne said the State was objecting to bail because of the seriousness of the charge and because the injured party lived a short distance from the brothers.
Judge Tom O'Donnell refused bail for both because of the seriousness of the charge.