A man facing sentencing for fracturing another man’s skull with a samurai sword has started a hunger strike in prison.

A car dealer has been jailed by the High Court a second time for contempt after it found he is continuing to give the Revenue the “runaround” in its efforts to execute a €4.97m judgment obtained nine years ago against him over unpaid taxes.

A judge said an escapade that involved driving a stolen van from Cork City to Killarney while being pursued at times by patrol cars, could have killed someone.

A man who got involved in a street fight outside a house party in Ballyvolane, Cork City, in the early hours of the morning was yesterday sentenced to four months in jail.