A mobile ice cream van, which sold ice-lollies and cones to children around parks and sports venues, was being used as a cover for a major drugs distribution business, Limerick circuit criminal court heard today.

A man has been sentenced to five years for setting fire to the bed in his partner and children’s apartment before escaping out the window.

A tiger-kidnapping victim whose theft from his employer came to light when the bank shut down because of the robbery has been remanded on bail pending sentence.

A 20-year-old man has been remanded in custody pending sentencing for a robbery where masked raiders used hammers to smash up a fast food takeaway in Dublin four years ago.

A 16-year-old boy was remanded on continuing bail today pending sentence for an attack on a Garda who was repeatedly punched and kicked in the face as he lay on the ground

A "naive young woman" who was storing pipe bombs, a shotgun, ammunition and drugs at her Finglas home for criminals has been sentenced to five years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

THE man on trial for murdering his friend by stabbing him repeatedly in the neck threatened fellow school children with knives and scissors at the age of 11, it emerged yesterday.

THREE uniformed Limerick gardaí were saluted yesterday for their courage in hunting down an armed gunman who fired a shotgun blast into a house.