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National News Briefs

Trainee mechanic charged in journalist murder probe

A trainee mechanic has been charged in connection with the death of journalist Eugene Moloney, who died after an assault in Dublin city centre at the weekend.

Gary Burch (21), of Kennington Close, Templeogue, Dublin, was brought before Dublin District Court yesterday charged with the manslaughter of Mr Moloney at Camden Street in the early hours of Sunday, June 24th.

He was detained by gardaí for questioning on Monday morning.

He made no plea before the court yesterday had has been remanded to appear again next Monday

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Pringel urges court to note German court findings

Independent Donegal TD Thomas Pringle has urged the High Court to note a German court’s finding last week that the German government breached legal obligations to properly inform the German parliament about the European Stability Mechanism treaty providing for a conditional permanent bailout fund for the 17 states in the euro zone.

Following its ruling of June 19th, the German Federal Constitutional Court has secured agreement from parliament there that the ESM and fiscal stability treaties will not be signed into law in Germany for the time being to allow the German courts time to consider existing or announced legal challenges there.

Mr Pringle, who contends the ESM treaty breaches EU law, the EU treaties and the Irish Constitution, is to proceed with his application for an injunction restraining the Government from completing ratification here early next month of the ESM treaty, his counsel, John Rogers SC, said.

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Gardaí seek nose-bite woman

Gardaí have issued an appeal to the public for information on a serious assault which happened at Georges Quay in Dublin city centre at the weekend.

A woman in her 20s sustained serious facial injuries during a disturbance which involved a number of women outside a public house near Tara St. train station in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The injured woman had part of her nose bitten off during the disturbance.

Descriptions of two women have been issued by gardaí. The first woman is described as approximately 5’3” in height, of slim build, with long black hair, wearing a white tee-shirt and black jeans.

She was accompanied by another woman who is described as slightly taller and heavier in build with hair tied up in a bun. She was wearing a black cardigan and purple top. Both women left the scene on foot.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Pearse St Garda station at 01-6669000, or the Garda confidential line 1800 666 111.

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UB says no customers will be 'out of pocket'

Ulster Bank said no customers would be left “out of pocket” by the technical problem that has affected thousands of accounts.

The bank does not expect “full services” to be restored until the beginning of next week. But it hopes the automated payments backlog, caused by the technical issue, would be cleared before the weekend. Ulster Bank had initially said the backlog should be taken care of by last Monday.

The bank’s managing director of branch banking, Jim Ryan, admitted, in a statement, “customers continue to experience unacceptable delays to their accounts being updated”.

“We remain grateful to them for their patience and we apologise unreservedly for the continued inconvenience. We can confirm no customer, including customers of other banks, will be out of pocket as a result of this issue.”

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Cocaine haul worth €200m on the streets

The cocaine haul seized following an intensive surveillance operation by Garda and Revenue’s Customs Service has been found in testing to have high purity levels and on the streets would fetch many multiples of the official €32 million valuation.

Garda sources indicated the consignment is as high as 80 per cent pure. Much of the cocaine sold on the streets is found to have a purity level of less than 15 per cent, meaning the haul seized in Dublin yesterday could be bulked up six-fold with glucose mixing agent and could fetch up to €200 million on the streets.

Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan said the seizure was “a very important day for law enforcement” in the Republic.

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Quinn, son and nephew acted in “a blatant, dishonest and deceitful manner” - Judge

Bankrupt businessman Seán Quinn, his son Seán and nephew Peter Darragh Quinn could face jail after being found guilty of contempt of court orders restraining them putting assets worth tens of millions of euro in their international property group beyond the reach of the former Anglo Irish Bank.

All three engaged in a “complex, complicated and no doubt costly” series of steps designed to put assets beyond the reach of the bank, in “a blatant, dishonest and deceitful manner”, Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne said, and she was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt they were guilty of contempt.

All three were “untruthful” at times to the court. Seán Quinn snr and his nephew were also evasive and unco-operative and she was “not impressed” with the evidence of any of them, some of which was “frankly unbelievable”.

The judge will rule on Friday what sanctions should be imposed after hearing from both sides but indicated, given her findings, she would find it “very difficult” not to include a “punitive” element.

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