A round-up of today's other court stories in brief
Judge orders destruction of labrador dog
A judge at Monaghan District Court has ordered the destruction of a family's pet labrador dog, after the dog's owner was convicted under the Control of Dogs Act and fined €1,000.
Brendan McCarron, Corryarabeg, Emyvale, Co Monaghan, was also ordered by Judge Seán MacBride to pay €420 expenses and €625 costs arising from a prosecution by Monaghan County Council as a result of a sheep kill at Glenmore, Co Monaghan, on December 16th.
The court heard that a neighbouring farmer, Donal McKenna, Drumturk, Emyvale, had his sheep flock attacked by marauding dogs and he followed some of the dogs towards McCarron's residence where he identified the labrador as one of the dogs involved in the attack.
Mr McKenna claimed that he lost 52 sheep in the incident and 10 others had to be put down because of the mauling by the dogs.
Jim McMahon, a dog warden, said McCarron owned two dogs but had no licence for them.
Judge MacBride rejected a plea not to have the dog put down but fixed recognisances for an appeal.
Jury in Williams case discharged
The jury has been discharged in the trial of a man accused of threatening to kill and cause serious harm to Sunday Worldjournalist Paul Williams.
The judge told the five men and seven women that he would be discontinuing the trial and starting afresh with a new jury. He said this was no reflection on the guilt of the accused.
A new jury is to be selected.
James Walsh (45), Mountain View Drive, Churchtown, pleaded not guilty to one count of threatening to kill Mr Williams on June 25th, 2003, and a count of threatening to cause him serious harm later the same day.
Judge Desmond Hogan discharged the jury following legal argument at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Retired doctor says charges ridiculous
Retired Cork doctor James Barry, who was found guilty of professional misconduct, has told the High Court most of the charges against him were "ridiculous" and "rather dubious".
Dr Barry (81), Lauriston Lodge, Glanmire, Cork, said that if he was to resume practising medicine in the morning , his surgery would be "full".
However, Eoin McCullough SC, for the Medical Council, said the case against Dr Barry was "so extreme" that it merited no sanction other than the erasure of his name from the medical register.
Mr Justice Peter Charleton reserved judgment to March 21st on the action by Dr Barry opposing the Medical Council's decision to strike his name from the medical register after he was found guilty of 44 counts of professional misconduct.
Sentencing for robbery adjourned
The sentencing of a teenage drug addict who carried out robberies in 2004 has been adjourned by Judge Katherine Delahunt to next March.
Lee King (19), Little Meadows, Clonmellon, Co Westmeath and originally from Shangan Gardens, Ballymun, was 17 when he robbed five young people of their mobile phones in St Stephen's Green and acted as a lookout during the robbery of two English tourists in the city centre.