A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Girls to face higher court on assault charge
At the Children's Court in Dublin yesterday a judge ordered that three teenage girls who assaulted another schoolgirl should face trial in a higher court.
Judge Catherine Murphy refused jurisdiction to hear the case in the Children's Court and ordered trial on indictment in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Evidence was given that the 16-year-old schoolgirl had hair pulled from her head, was left with bruising from head to toe and bite marks on her arm after she was allegedly mugged by three teenage girls.
The Dublin Children's Court heard that the three south Dublin girls, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were each charged with assault causing harm and robbery of the schoolgirl, in Walkinstown, Dublin on May 16th last.
One of the defendants is 16 years old while the other two are both aged 15.
In an outline of the allegations, Garda Michael Redmond, of Sundrive Road Station, told Judge Murphy that the three girls were alleged to have attacked the victim and stolen her MP3 player and mobile phone.
The girls, who were supported in court by family members, were remanded on bail to appear again on November 7th next when they are to be served with the books of evidence and returned for trial.
Rapist remanded for sentence
A man who raped an American student in Cork city last year has been remanded for sentence on December 5th by Mr Justice Paul Carney at the Central Criminal Court.
Kevin Healy (25), of Gort na Fludaigh, Béal Atha 'n Ghaorthaigh, pleaded guilty to oral rape and aggravated sexual assault of the woman on November 7th, 2004 at Magazine Road, Cork, and to robbing a garda radio valued at €2,000.
Mr Justice Carney directed the preparation of a victim impact report on the victim and a probation report for the sentence hearing.
Murder trial jury sworn in
A jury has been sworn in for the trial starting today in Dublin of a man, with a Co Waterford address, who yesterday pleaded not guilty to murder.
At the Central Criminal Court, Samuel Jennings (60), a native of Scotland, who lived in Ashtown, Kilmacthomas in Waterford denies murdering Mary Walsh from Glendalligan, Kilrossanty, on a date unknown between August 30th and September 4th 2004.
Teen stole phones at knife point
A teenager who went on a rampage in which he robbed mobile phones from youngsters at knife point after consuming a large quantity of alcohol has been ordered to perform 240 hours of community work by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Seán Cormack (19), of Captain's Road, Crumlin, pleaded guilty to five robberies in the Rathfarnham area within 40 minutes of each other on the evening of November 8th, 2003.
Garda John Fitzgerald earlier told Caroline Biggs BL, prosecuting, that Cormack and an accomplice approached five people demanding their phones.
He told several of his victims, "give me your phone or I'll stab you", the court was told.
He was later stopped by gardaí in Rathfarnham and found to be carrying a bread knife.
Iseult O'Malley BL, defending, told Judge Desmond Hogan her client, who was 18 at the time of the offences, has no previous convictions and comes from a respectable family.
Ms O'Malley described the crimes as, "horrific and inexcusable" and said he had consumed five cans of lager, one bottle of wine, a naggin of vodka and a large bottle of an alcopop before committing the offences.
Judge Hogan imposed a sentence of two years detention but substituted that with 240 hours of community work.