Other stories in brief.
Traveller family sues over conditions
A mother who has been living with her eight children in "atrocious" conditions without toilets, electricity or running water for several years has begun a High Court action to compel Dublin City Council to provide her family with proper accommodation in the Ballymun area.
Margaret McDonagh, a member of the Travelling community, claims the family has been living in two caravans on the side of the road at Poppintree, Ballymun.
She is seeking a declaration that the council is in breach of the European Convention and the Constitution by failing to provide them with such accommodation.
Dublin City Council has argued the family are not entitled to the reliefs they are seeking and has also denied negligence.
Shop worker faces credit card charges
A second Dunnes Stores employee has been charged with using customers' credit and laser cards to buy goods, Tallaght Court has heard.
Judge James McDonnell heard it will be alleged that Solomon Osho defrauded Dunnes Stores customers of over €2,000 by memorising their card details.
Two weeks ago, Nancy Lubungu, who worked for Dunnes Stores in Citywest, pleaded guilty to stealing nearly €200 from a customer by memorising his laser card details.
Mr Osho (19), Marlfield Court, Kiltipper, Tallaght, is charged with inducing a staff member at Dunnes Stores the Square to sell him goods using unlawfully obtained cards.
Man convicted of INLA membership
A Waterford man was convicted of INLA membership at the Special Criminal Court yesterday. John O'Donoghue (27) Clonard Park, Ballybeg, had pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Another Waterford man, James Butler (55), Ardmore Park, Ballybeg, who also pleaded not guilty, was acquitted.
O'Donoghue was remanded on bail for sentencing next month.
Drugs and gun stored in ESB box
A Bosnian man who stored a pistol and cocaine valued at over €150,000 in the ESB box of his family home because he feared "a bullet in the head" has been jailed for 10 years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Zlatan Hodzic (26), Castleknock Way, Castleknock, Dublin, pleaded guilty to having cocaine, cannabis resin and a pistol in suspicious circumstances at his home on January 10th, 2007.
Mayo man found not guilty of rape
A Mayo businessman has been found not guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of raping a woman who said she "fancied" him.
The jury acquitted the 29-year-old man following deliberations of two hours and 32 minutes after a seven-day trial.
The man denied anally raping the woman on August 8th, 2005, but said in evidence that they had consensual anal and vaginal sex after they went to his home that night.
The jury heard the complainant agree she had "fancied" the accused for some time and was introduced to him at a late-night drinking venue.
She spoke to him for some 15 minutes before they left hand-in-hand and walked to his house where she alleged he anally raped her after she lay down on his bed where they had been kissing.