Today's other court stories in brief
Aer Arann settles case at High Court
A legal row in which Aer Arann claimed it was entitled to cancel an agreement with a Polish charter company because of safety concerns and other issues has been settled at the High Court.
Aer Arann claimed it was so concerned about the competency of pilots and safety of aircraft provided by White Eagle Aviation SA, Warsaw, Poland, that it had cancelled its charter agreement with the company after seven weeks.
WEA denied any threats to safety and said no complaints had been made to the regulatory authorities.
Yesterday, Brian Foley, for WEA, told the president of the High Court, Mr Justice Richard Johnson, that the matter had been settled and could be struck out.
10 years for family rapes
A Dublin man has been given a 10-year sentence by Mr Justice Barry White at the Central Criminal Court for raping female family members over a decade ago.
The 54-year-old married man pleaded guilty to 21 sample charges just before his trial on five counts of rape and indecent assault in relation to one of the victims was due to start last December.
Guilty of child trafficking charge
A man has pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to child trafficking.
Kieran O'Halloran (47) admitted that in October 2005 he incited a named woman "to organise or knowingly facilitate the use of a child for the purpose of sexual exploitation".
O'Halloran, Liffey Court, Clane, Co Kildare, and Whitethorn Walk, Westminster Park, Foxrock, Co Dublin, was charged under the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998.
Judge Martin Nolan directed that his name be added to the register of sex offenders and remanded him on continuing bail for sentence later.
Team workers may sue
A High Court judge has ruled that a number of Aer Lingus engineers who were transferred to work for the Team subsidiary in 1989 may proceed with claims for damages for personal injuries arising from their treatment on their return to the airline after Team was sold off in 1997.
Miss Justice Mary Laffoy also ruled that some of the 36 engineers who have brought proceedings against Aer Lingus had been paid at the appropriate level following their return to Aer Lingus.
The case arose out of the redeployment of the engineers as clerical workers, baggage handlers and cleaners. In their claims, which went to the Supreme Court and back to the High Court, the engineers argued they were entitled, until their retirement, to the same wages and entitlements as if they had never left the airline.
Drugs hidden in buggy
Two young Limerick mothers who travelled to Dublin to collect cocaine worth almost €280,000, which they hid in a child's buggy, were yesterday jailed for five years.
Mary Crawford, Limerick, and a co-accused, Pamela Hedderman (25), both Southill, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent for sale or supply at Colbert train station, Parnell Street, Limerick, on November 23rd, 2005.
20 years for drug addict
A total of 20 years in consecutive sentences has been imposed on a drug addict who committed seven robberies to pay back a €25,000 debt to "people you don't want to mess with".
Jason Smith (35), Foxdene Drive, Clondalkin, Co Dublin, first started abusing drugs when he was 13 but has been on a methadone programme since he was remanded in custody last March.
Sex offender sentenced
A teenage boy who admitted sexually assaulting a young Chinese student as she made her way home from work, has been given a six- month suspended sentence, by Judge Ann Ryan at the Dublin Children's Court.
The then 16-year-old, who is in care and now attending a therapeutic clinic in England, demanded sex from the woman and repeatedly banged her head off the ground.