A man who began taking ecstasy tablets and sniffing petrol at the age of six has been jailed for three years for carrying out a violent attempted handbag snatch.

A man charged in connection with an alleged surveillance operation on the Dublin headquarters of a number of specialist garda units has been granted bail at the Special Criminal Court.

AN asylum seeker who stole the identity of a university professor and used it to claim disability benefit will get a suspended sentence next week.