The prosecution counsel in the trial of a man accused of murdering two women 18 years ago has told the jury that if the accused is not guilty, there are a series of “truly amazing coincidences”.

An African national has spent the past 10 days in Cork Prison because details of his identity remain a mystery, but his solicitor said yesterday the man could not be kept in prison because nobody knows who he is.

A 16-year-old boy arrested for attacking a garda who was injured on St Patrick’s Day appeared in court this morning charged with public order and assault charges.

A well-known Dublin busker, who attacked a garda who was responding to a disturbance call at his flat, has been jailed for three years.