A man who has admitted raping two young girls who went missing from a birthday party is to be sentenced at the Central Criminal Court.

Shoplifting is reaching epidemic levels and the system is “an absolute joke” because there is no effective deterrent, according to a district court judge.

A man is due to appear in court in Westmeath this morning charged in connection with a drugs and gun seizure.

Three men in their 30s and 40s were being questioned last night about a horrific sex attack on two little girls attending a birthday party.

Gardaí are investigating an alleged serious sexual assault on two girls yesterday in Athlone.

Travellers rights group Pavee Point is calling for a judge to resign over what it describes as "prehistoric" comments made in a case with a Traveller defendant.

A POLISH man has been jailed and made to repay over €8,000 he fraudulently claimed in social welfare by posing as his friend.

A MAN charged with the attempted false imprisonment of a teenage girl has been remanded in custody.

A man has been charged today in connection with the attempted abduction of a girl in her early teens at Moyclare, Ferbane, Co Offaly on July 19.

NINE security providers were prosecuted in the first half of 2011, imposing fines and costs of over €70,000.

An man in his 60s has been charged with a public order offence after he allegedly set fire to his ballot paper and placed it in a ballot box at a polling station in Co Westmeath yesterday.

A 63-year-old man is to appear in court in this evening charged with the murder of Marie Greene in Athlone, Co Westmeath.

A 54-YEAR-OLD woman appeared in court yesterday charged with killing a mother more than two years ago.

A 54-year-old woman has been charged with the manslaughter of a woman in Athlone over two years ago.

A 54-year old woman is due in court later charged in connection with the death of Lilly Scanlon in Athlone more than two years ago.

Four men are due in court in Athlone today charged in connection with drug dealing in the town.

A JUDGE who once jailed a man for talking in his court was accidentally shot by a solicitor brandishing a pellet gun during a family law hearing in Longford.

Gardaí in Co Westmeath have charged a 24-year-old man with assault following an incident in Athlone yesterday.

A MAN arrested at Dublin airport last night will appear in court this morning charged with a murder in Co Westmeath 21 years ago.

A man and a woman are to appear before a special sitting of Athlone District Court this morning in connection with an investigation into ATM fraud.

Two men will appear in court in Co Westmeath today charged in connection with an attack on a Garda.

Laois footballer Colm Parkinson will learn his fate next week after pleading guilty to two assault charges yesterday.

A man has been charged with murdering 25-year-old Michael Rosney in Belmont, Co Offaly last Thursday night.

Greg Fox, the man charged with murdering his wife and two children in Castledaly, Co Westmeath last weekend, failed to show up at Athlone District Court today.