An officer with the Irish Defence Forces who is accused of sexual and physical assault will indicate next month if he requires a trial in relation to any of the charges against him.

The officer, who cannot be named by order of the military court, appeared at a brief hearing at McKee Barracks in Dublin today, in which a new legal team was appointed to him. His previous barrister had indicated that he had a conflict of interest and therefore could no longer represent the accused officer.

He will now be represented by Kevin Roche BL, instructed by Partners at Law solicitors ….read more

A Dublin man who sexually abused his eight year old nephew when he himself was a teenager, in a “very dysfunctional” household, has lost an appeal against his conviction.

The Central Criminal Court heard that the 36-year-old man, who was 16-years-old when the abuse began (and whose details cannot be published to protect the victim’s identity), was also having a “deeply inappropriate” sexual relationship with one of the adults in the house.

He was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury of eight counts of indecent assault, one count of rape and one count of sexual assault in Dublin ….read more

By Liz Farsaci

A self-employed father who owes the mother of his children more than €40,000 in maintenance was today told that “having a dead accountant isn’t a very sensible thing”.

Sophie Cargin BL, counsel for the mother, told the Dublin District Family Court in Dolphin House, Temple Bar that the father now owes the mother €40,140.

At the last court date in April, it was determined that the father owed €38,920, she said. Since then he has not made any payments towards the weekly upkeep of his children or the arrears he still owes the mother.

Ms Cargin said the father promised in ….read more

By Liz Farsaci

A father who owes hundreds of euro in child maintenance was today temporarily placed in custody after a judge criticised his attitude.

The man’s former partner told the Dublin District Family Law Court in Temple Bar, Dublin that he owed her €767, including monies for school books and lessons, for the upkeep of their daughter.

When asked by Judge John Lindsay whether he agreed with that figure, the father indicated that he did, but said: “I’m not working.”

The mother said he had seemingly been unemployed since April, but only informed her of this earlier this month.

The father insisted he had ….read more

A nurse was today found guilty of professional misconduct for slapping an elderly patient suffering from advanced dementia and referring to him as a “dirty Jew”.

Registered nurse Marilyn Rillera (57), from the Philippines, slapped an elderly resident of the Maynooth Community Care Unit, Leinster Street, Maynooth, Co Kildare, on the arm on an unspecified date in December 2015, a Fitness to Practice inquiry at the Nursing and Midwifery Board in Blackrock, Co Dublin, found.

It was also found that Ms Rillera failed to communicate appropriately with the 87-year-old dementia patient when she referred to him as “a dirty Jew”.

Ms Rillera was ….read more

(Pictured: Former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan. Credit: Collins)

By Gerard Cunningham

The former garda commissioner is alleged to have described whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe as a “kiddie fiddler” to the former chair of the Dáil Public Accounts Committee meeting, the Charleton Tribunal has been told.

The allegation was one of a number made by former Garda press officer Supt David Taylor to the tribunal, which is investigating an alleged smear campaign against Sgt McCabe.

In his opening statement, tribunal counsel Pat Marrinan SC said that the former commissioner, Martin Callinan also allegedly told John McGuinness TD that Sgt McCabe was “not credible” and that ….read more

(Pictured: Mr Justice Peter Charleton. Credit: Collins)

By Gerard Cunningham

The tribunal set up to investigate an alleged smear campaign against garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe will examine whether the current and former Garda commissioners abused their position of trust.

Lawyers for the Disclosures Tribunal told the Disclosures Tribunal that false allegations made against Sgt McCabe transformed “through some dreadful alchemy” into allegations of serious sexual abuse.

Counsel for the tribunal, Mr Diarmaid McGuinness SC, has been outlining its main lines of inquiry at Dublin Castle today.

The tribunal, chaired by Mr Justice Peter Charleton, was set up to investigate an alleged smear campaign against Sgt ….read more

By Liz Farsaci

An obstetrician at the heart of a lengthy fitness to practice inquiry has been found guilty of one count of poor professional performance in relation to the care he provided to one out of three patients.

This related to the fact that Dr Salah Aziz Ahmed failed to decide that the immediate delivery of a baby – the son of a woman referred to as Patient C – by emergency caesarian section was required.

The consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist has been found not guilty of poor professional performance in relation to six other allegations that were proven as to fact. ….read more

By Liz Farsaci

An experienced nurse has been found guilty of professional misconduct.

Waterford nurse Angelah Machekanyanga, who worked at the private Whitfield Clinic, Butlerstown, North Cork Rd, Waterford, defended the care she provided to a patient who had undergone hip replacement surgery.

Today a fitness to practice inquiry found her guilty of professional misconduct and failure to comply with the nurses’ code of conduct on two counts each.

The patient, referred to as Patient A, underwent a full hip replacement surgery at the clinic on 26 November 2014. Ms Machekanyanga began her shift in the orthopaedic ward that evening and provided care to ….read more

By Liz Farsaci

A father who admitted showing his son semi-nude images of his drunk mother applied to the Family Court for increased access to the child.

Solicitor Waheed Mudah, for the mother, told the court that the boy was “very distressed” and had to see a GP after the father had shown the images and video recording. The boy has also refused to see his father since then, he said.

The mother applied to Dublin District Family Court to have the current access order discharged. An access order determines when the parent with whom a child does not live can see the ….read more