Murder case retrial date set

THE retrial of the man charged with rugby player Shane Geoghegan's murder will begin next January.

A jury failed to reach a verdict last week following a four-week trial at the Central Criminal Court so another jury will have to retry the case.

Barry Doyle (24), with addresses at Portland Row, Dublin and Hyde Road, Limerick, pleaded not guilty to murdering the 28-year-old Garryowen player.

Mr Doyle was not in court yesterday when Mr Justice Paul Carney set January 16, 2012, as the date for his retrial.

Man denies raping ex-lover

The trial of a man accused of the harassment, assault and rape of his ex-girlfriend has reached the end of the prosecution case.

The man, who can not be named for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to harassing the woman on dates between September and December 2009; to assaulting her, stealing two mobile phones from her and raping her.

The trial continues.

Father and son die on boat trip

A father and son died when a sailboat carrying 10 people on a trip organised by a group that helps disabled people capsized in calm water.

Chao Chen (73) and his son, Jun Chen (48) of San Diego, California, died on Sunday night, San Diego Harbour police chief John Bolduc said. Another person, who was not identified, was in a serious condition.

The cause of the accident was being investigated but it appeared no other boats were involved.

Lowe reveals past with Sheen

Rob Lowe has given fellow Brat Packer Charlie Sheen a slight edge when it comes to partying in a magazine interview.

Lowe tells Vanity Fair that in past days, he and troubled actor Sheen, who was sacked from the hit CBS TV comedy show Two And A Half Men, "competed to see who could play harder, then show up for work".

Lowe calls Sheen "a wonderful mix of nerd and rebel" and speaks of days when the two were relatively unknown actors who plotted their careers in Sheen's pool.