Other court stories in brief.
Two cleared of attempted murder
Two men accused of shooting into a crowd and attempting to kill four people have been found not guilty on all charges by a jury in the Central Criminal Court. Michael Reilly (37) and Paul Gavin (33) both of Glen Road Height, Belfast, were found not guilty on all 10 charges related to the attempted murders of Paul Collins, Martin and Kathleen McDonagh, and Patrick Quinn at Cara Close, Coolock, in Dublin on February 16th, 2005. The courtroom erupted into cheers and applause as the verdict was read out.
During the trial the court heard that a large crowd gathered on the night in question when news went round the Cara Park halting site that a car had been vandalised.
While the crowd gathered round the car, talking among themselves, a number of shots were fired. The jury heard there was ongoing animosity between the two families involved.
Autistic boy sues State on schooling
A nine-year-old autistic boy has brought High Court proceedings aimed at securing appropriate and adequate speech and language therapy as part of his primary school education.
Michael Heffernan, suing through his mother Síobhán, of Rathculliheen, Ferrybank, Waterford, has brought the case against the Ministers for Education and Science and Health and Children and the HSE.
The defendants deny that they have failed to provide adequate or appropriate education and therapies.
Addict threatened to kill landlord
A 31-year-old heroin addict who threatened to kill his landlord and burn down his apartment building with the tenants in it after being asked to leave has been sentenced to five years by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Joseph Meade, of Mount Brown, Dublin, held a knife to his landlord's throat for three minutes, threatened to slice him into little pieces and demanded €4,000 to leave the flat or he would "torch the place with the residents in it". Meade pleaded guilty to threatening to kill John Sweeney and the residents of a building on Donore Avenue.