PROPOSED judiciary pay cuts “don’t make economic sense” according to a Cork-based district court judge.

A retired district court judge has said that, while he will not object to proposals to cut the judiciary's pay, a referendum on the issue is "probably a populist move".

JUDGE Michael Pattwell, who sits for the last time today after 21 years on the bench, said he felt “honoured to be part of the system that puts people’s rights to the forefront”.

JUDGE Michael Pattwell is to retire from the bench at the end of next month after 21 years of service.

ONE of the country’s most outspoken district court judges has accused prison authorities of having no regard for the victims of crime when they let prisoners out on temporary release after just a few weeks behind bars.

AN intoxicated man who reversed his van into a patrol car on two separate occasions while being pursued by gardaí and who swung a hammer at them has been sentenced to two years in prison.

A JUDGE has told a district court he should be entitled to hang a €100 note from his front gate and come back in a month and still find it there.

FIVE Lithuanians, four of whom have only been in Ireland since Friday last, appeared before Mallow District Court yesterday charged with stealing goods valued at a total of €1,773.22 from 13 different pharmacies across Cork and Waterford on Valentine’s Day.

THE organisers of a Cork racing festival have decided to introduce a best dressed man competition after they were criticised — in a tongue and cheek fashion — by a judge for being sexist.

GARDAÍ will have to wait until next Tuesday for a court decision on their objection to the licensing of high-powered military police-style weapons.

VICTIMS of crime committed by people on temporary or early release from prison should consider suing the state for compensation, a judge has claimed.

A RETIRED Department of Defence engineer was bound to the peace for 12 months after a court heard he told a victim support worker he had hired thugs to harm his neighbours.

A DECISION is expected shortly from the DPP on a request by gardaí for a judicial review of a judge’s decision to hold a garda inspector in contempt.

A JUDGE yesterday described a former Department of Defence engineer as “a neighbour from hell” and denied his appeal against a garda refusal to grant him a firearms licence.

A judge has hit out at the way that people get notice of speeding fines imposed on them.

A WOMAN whose former partner scalped her hair with a bread knife was commended for her “very Christian outlook” by Judge Carroll Moran at the Circuit Criminal Court, in Tralee.

AN engineering student was yesterday charged with the murder of his 11-year-old next door neighbour.

THE college student charged with the unlawful killing of County Cork schoolboy Robert Holohan was yesterday remanded in custody for a seventh time after appearing at Midleton District Court.

GARDAÍ have been given more time to prepare a Book of Evidence in the case of an engineering student charged with the manslaughter of an 11-year-old boy, because they are still awaiting the full results of forensic tests.

Seán O’Riordan

A 20-YEAR-OLD engineering student charged with the manslaughter of schoolboy Robert Holohan has been remanded in custody to appear in court again on February 3.

A STUDENT appeared in court last night charged with the manslaughter of Midleton schoolboy Robert Holohan.

DISTRICT Court Judge Michael Pattwell yesterday said he did not apply one law to the rich and one to the poor in the case of defendants who appeared before him.

A DISTRICT COURT judge yesterday called for the electronic tagging of convicted paedophiles.

FIRST Holy Communions can be toasted with bubbly as a judge’s refusal to allow alcohol to be served where families celebrate their children’s special day was overturned yesterday.

The decision by District Judge Michael Pattwell to dismiss 80 cases of drink-driving undoubtedly resulted in as many happy defendants, but it also pointed to a serious defect in the legislation.

THE Calcutta-based Hope Foundation was not prepared to accept the €40,000 ordered to be paid to charity by child porn offender Tim Allen.