A round-up of other home news in brief
Irishmen in NZ robbed of van at gunpoint
A VAN STOLEN at gunpoint from four Irishmen in New Zealand has been found partly burned out.
The men, believed to be brothers, were staying in Dargaville Campervan Park when they were approached by two masked gunmen at 12.30am on Monday. Dargaville is in the far north of North Island, a four-hour drive from Auckland.
Sgt Jonathan Tier of Dargaville police said the four initially refused to hand over the keys to the rental van but changed their minds when weapons were produced. The thieves then drove off in the vehicle. He said the Irishmen were "absolutely terrified".
Man loses attempt to stop trial
A man has lost his Supreme Court bid to stop his trial for dangerous driving causing serious injury to a woman passenger, a former girlfriend, who is permanently wheelchair bound.
Brian Perry had sought to halt his prosecution arising from the failure of the Garda to preserve the Fiat Stilo car which he was driving at the time of the single vehicle incident at Grace Park Road, Dublin, in June 2004.
Mr Justice Nial Fennelly noted that a man walking along the road gave a statement to gardaí that he heard a car coming towards him "like a bullet" and jumped over a garden wall.
He said the car passed him by and was heading around a sharp bend. Seconds later, he heard "an unmerciful bang" and ran up the road to see a silver Stilo car on its side having demolished the front wall of a house.
Mr Perry and his former girlfriend, Rebecca Elliott, were seriously injured.
Tara M3 questions to political parties
TaraWatch has sent questionnaires to the political parties in advance of next year's local and European elections asking them to outline their positions on the controversial M3 upgrading.
The parties are asked 10 questions, in particular whether they support the current route of the M3 or a route farther away from the Hill of Tara.
TaraWatch spokesman Vincent Salafia said it is considering fielding candidates if the response from the political parties is not sufficient.
Cab wins 25,000 seizure order
The Criminal Assets Bureau has obtained a forfeiture order from Mr Justice Kevin Feeney in the High Court against a man for almost €25,000 following an investigation by its officers and members of the Cork City Divisional Drugs Squad.
Cab applied to the High Court for the forfeiture of €20,000 and £3,680 seized from Paul O'Leary, Parklands Drive, Cork, when he was stopped and searched by Det Garda John Sheedy of Cork City Divisional Drugs Squad in Fair Hill in May 2006.
Det Chief Supt John O'Mahony of Cab said in an affidavit to the High Court he believed the money was the proceeds of crime. Lawyers for Mr O'Leary, who is resident outside the State, informed the court yesterday that he was consenting to the forfeiture of the money.
Halloween pet awareness call
The Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has called on householders to be vigilant about pets with the approach of Halloween, as fireworks, bonfires and bangers can cause serious distress and injury to animals.
The society has advised people to keep their pets in a quiet room away from exit doors where they cannot hear the noise and commotion.
"It is best to keep animals inside a bedroom or family room, away from all the commotion. Try and make sure that the dog isn't left alone if it is distressed," the society said.
Tips on how to keep pets safe are available from www.dspca.ie.