A Corkman who raped an Australian tourist and described by Mr Justice Barry White as "a danger and a menace to society and women", has been jailed for 18 years.

Charges of Real IRA membership against four Northern Ireland men, including missing Armagh man Garreth O' Connor, were withdrawn by the State at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today.

The trial of three Northern Ireland men accused of Real IRA membership was aborted at the Special Criminal Court today after the prosecution conceded a defence application for a mistrial.

A factory security man has told the jury in the 'fake accident' trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that neither saw nor heard any indication of a major collision at the alleged scene.

A former Army Corporal who served 26 years in the Defence Forces today denied membership of an illegal organisation styling itself the IRA at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin.

The alleged Real IRA leader Michael McKevitt refused to leave his cell when his trial for directing terrorism resumed at the Special Criminal Court today.

A journalist and newspaper are to be investigated for contempt of court for reporting of the trial of alleged Real IRA leader Michael Mc Kevitt, the Special Criminal Court was told today.

Two senior FBI witnesses from the United States will attend the hearing of preliminary issues in the trial of Michael Mc Kevitt, the alleged leader of the Real IRA, the Special Criminal Court was told today.

The prosecution has "bent over backwards" to provide lawyers for the alleged leader of the Real IRA, Michael McKevitt, with material relating to his case, the Special Criminal Court was told today.

FBI agent David Rupert who is due to give evidence against the alleged leader of the Real IRA Michael McKevitt ``represents a very serious threat to a very dangerous organisation’’, the Special Criminal Court was told today.

The Special Criminal Court has warned that the trial of Michael McKevitt, the alleged leader of the Real IRA, was in jeopardy because information on the key US witness had not been furnished to the defence.

The detective who investigated the alleged assault on a prisoner by a prison officer in Mountjoy told the jury the gardai first heard about the incident from the victim's mother.

A colleague of a prison officer who allegedly broke a prisoners jaw told the

A medical orderly involved in treating a prisoner who allegedly had his jaw broken by a prison officer said he could not refresh his memory of that day because the record book was missing.

The trial is continuing today of a prison officer accused of breaking a prisoner's jaw.