A round up of today's courts news in brief.
Jury discharged in man's trial for rape
The trial of a man accused of raping and threatening to kill his pregnant ex-partner in her home has collapsed at the Central Criminal Court with the discharge of the jury.
Mr Justice Barry White discharged the jury just before the final stages were due to begin on day-10 of the hearing. He told the jury that as a result of developments during the hearing on the last day he had no option but to end the trial at this stage. He remanded the 43-year-old accused to appear today for mention of the case.
The man has pleaded not guilty to seven charges arising out of the alleged incident in the complainant's Clare home on September 9th, 2007. He denies three charges of rape, anal rape and oral rape of the woman, one charge each of falsely imprisoning and threatening to kill her, aggravated burglary using a shotgun and unlawful possession of a firearm, all on the same occasion. He has pleaded guilty to one charge of assaulting her on the same occasion, causing her harm.
Boy gets€ 6,500 for 'clip on ear'
A 14-year-old schoolboy, who was given a slap on the ear by a sales assistant in Dunnes Stores, Coolock, Dublin, has been awarded €6,500 compensation.
Martin Scullion, Bunratty Drive, Coolock, was pushing a young friend in a wheelchair when the chair accidentally bumped the assistant, the Circuit Civil Court heard yesterday.
Counsel for Martin, Ivan Daly, said the accidental bumping occurred in November 2006 when the boy was 12. He told Circuit Court president Mr Justice Matthew Deery that the accident was followed by a brief altercation during which the assistant gave Martin "a clip on the ear". Counsel said Dunnes Stores had dealt with the matter when a complaint was lodged by solicitors for Martin. In a letter of apology the store manager told Martin's parents the employee's behaviour was unacceptable and had apologised to them and Martin.
Five-year jail term for sexual assault
A man who sexually assaulted a young girl has been given a five-year sentence by Judge Patrick McCartan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The 22-year-old Leitrim man pleaded guilty to four counts of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl on dates between July 1st, 2004, and March 16th, 2006. The case had been transferred to Dublin from Leitrim Circuit Criminal Court and the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted the crimes on October 7th last, just after a jury had been sworn in for his trial on eight charges of sexual assault. Judge McCartan directed that his name be added to the register of sex offenders.