Two Sligo men have appeared at an out-of-term sitting of the Special Criminal Court charged with membership of the IRA.

A man who was married with three children; was engaged separately to two other partners; and had a girlfriend in Poland with another child was in prison last night after admitting fraud.

A garda who claimed a man deliberately spat blood and saliva on him and threatened to infect him with HIV has been awarded €100,000 damages at a High Court garda compensation hearing.

THOUSANDS of motorists could escape penalty points and fines after the High Court ruled yesterday that garda devices used to monitor drivers were in breach of the law.