Three members of the Traveller community from Rathkeale claim a newspaper report implicated them in drunken riotous behaviour after a close relative died on holiday in Germany and that they tried to have the body shipped home in the back of a van.

A High Court jury has awarded €85,000 in damages to former Premiership footballer David Speedie over a newspaper article which they found defamed him by saying gardaí had reason to suspect him of being involved in criminal activity.

A Garda and an employee of the Sunday World yesterday told the High Court they saw former Premier League star David Speedie in the company of an alleged gangland figure.

Journalist Mick McCaffrey yesterday told the High Court he “stands over” articles he wrote saying former Premier League footballer David Speedie associated with criminals.

A former Premiership footballer claims a newspaper defamed him by falsely saying he was linked to Dublin gangland figures and crime.

A man who gave evidence in the murder trial of Catherine Nevin cannot continue a legal action against a newspaper over an article stating he tried to sell it photographs of him and Mrs Nevin naked in bed together, the High Court has ruled.

A FORMER member of the elite Irish Army Ranger wing who is suing the Sunday World for defamation of character has been told by the High Court he must curtail the scope of his claim for damages.

THE High Court has ruled that rape victim Lavinia Kerwick is not entitled to have a combined libel, privacy and personal injury proceedings brought by her against the Sunday World heard before a jury.

TWO newspaper organisations were fined €20,000 each by the High Court yesterday following a decision last week that articles published in two newspapers in 2003 were in contempt of court.