A round-up of today's other stories in brief
HSE agrees to pay €120,000 to settle case over man's drowning
The HSE has agreed to pay €120,000 in settlement of proceedings over alleged negligence in the care of a man who took his own life by drowning himself in a bath.
Four days prior to his death, the 27-year-old man had taken an overdose and was being treated in St Stephen’s psychiatric hospital, Glanmire, Cork, when he died. It was claimed he was supposed to be under special supervision at the time of his death on August 19th, 2001. The action was taken by his partner, who is the mother of his daughter. The case was due for hearing yesterday but was settled without admission of liability by the HSE. It had denied negligence and breach of duty.
Derry man charged with stealing hearse
A man appeared in court in Derry yesterday charged with stealing an undertaker’s hearse, writes George Jackson.
Jonathan James Ayton (35), from Bond’s Hill in the Waterside area of the city, is alleged to have committed the offences at the funeral parlour of DR Hay funeral directors at Spencer Road on September 16th of this year.
The hearse was found abandoned several days later outside Lifford in Co Donegal.
David Hay, the proprietor of the funeral parlour, is a brother of the Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly William Hay.
There was no application for bail and the man was remanded in custody. He will appear in court again on December 23rd.
Sentence date set in harassment case
A man is to be sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on harassment charges. Stephen Waldron (28), of Ardmore Woods, Bray, Co Wicklow, pleaded guilty that at a place or places unknown he harassed a woman by persistently communicating with her between January 26th and 29th, 2009. Sentencing will take place next month.
Man convicted of IRA membership
A Louth man was convicted of IRA membership by the Special Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday. Barry O'Brien(38), from Mountainview Court, Dundalk, denied membership of an illegal organisation.