Hi °C | Lo °C A PLANT hire firm that hired out a cherrypicker that subsequently broke loose from the vehicle towing it and caused the death of a passing motorist has been fined €24,000.
Peter Meenan (61), a retired bookmaker based in Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo, died after his car crashed into the mobile hoist when it became detached from a van on August 30, 2010. John Smyth, a director of Ballyhaunis Plant Hire, must also pay €6,000 court costs.
Store faced clear-out
A SUPERMARKET operator learnt in the middle of the night his main suppliers planned to "do a clear-out" of his store in a dispute over a debt.
Ray Dolan had established ADM Londis PLC was in breach of contract when it failed to give him written notice it was about to recover stock it supplied in 2008 to his since closed Black Bull Londis store in Drogheda, Co Louth, Mr Justice Gerard Hogan said. ADM Londis had sought judgment for around €561,000 against Mr Dolan, of Avondale Crescent, Arklow, Wicklow, and his company Ranzett Ltd, for unpaid invoices. The judge said ADM Londis was entitled to judgment for that amount and a separate hearing would deal with the defendants' counter-claim for breach of contract.
Mater A&E on move
THE emergency department at Dublin's Mater Hospital will close for a time tomorrow to enable services to be relocated to the new state-of-the-art facility. It will close at 4am for 18 hours and the new facility will open at 10pm.
During the closure period, patients with minor injuries can attend the Mater Smithfield Rapid Injury Clinic in The Forge, beside the Smithfield Market.
WW2 gun case
GARDAI who stopped a car on the Belfast-Dublin motorway found two brothers in possession of a World War Two-era Sten sub-machinegun.
Darren J Cunneen (36), of Castlefarm, Limerick; and Jason Cunneen (22), of Clare Street in Limerick city, were remanded on continuing bail until Tuesday after pleading guilty to possession of the sub-machinegun.
Killer denied appeal
IRISH killer Eric Wilson has been refused leave to appeal against his conviction for possession of a weapons cache found at his Spanish home. A Malaga court ruled the February 2012 conviction and five-and-a-half-year sentence should stand.
The 30-year-old, from Ballyfermot, Dublin, is already serving 23 years in jail for shooting dead British roofer Dan Smith at a Costa del Sol pub in June 2010.
Irish Independent
