News from Ireland - news from around the 32 counties

Dr John Tait (60), of Glen House, Upper Rochestown, pleaded not guilty last week to a charge of sexual assault on a twenty year old dental nurse in a surgery at 6 St Patrick’s Terrace, Douglas.

On the opening day of the trial, the woman said that during an examination by Dr Tait, “he had his hands on my jaw. He came down with his fingers on my sternum between my breasts”.

Following this, the nurse claimed that Dr Tait had asked her to remove her bra. She was wearing a vest and tunic. “He asked me could he zip it down a bit and I said ‘yes’.” She said that during this time Dr Tait was taking notes.

“He lifted my vest up to here (around her neck). My whole breasts were exposed. I think it was like that for a minute,” she told the court. The examination took place without the presence of a chaperone or assistant in the room, something that Dr Tait acknowledged in court as an oversight on his part.

However, he also said: "I reject these allegations. Under no circumstances did I engage in (any) impropriety. It is not true. It didn't happen."

Dr Tait had originally been charged with two counts of sexual assault in relation to the examination but the Director of Public Prosecutions withdrew one count during the trial.

He said the accusation of sexual assault had been “very hard to live with...the trauma has been phenomenal”, describing it as “a devastating experience”.

The court heard the summations of defense senior counsel, Tim O’Leary, before the jury was asked by Judge McCabe to consider its verdict.
Source: (Cork Independent)

Derry

A body set up in Derry to combat alcohol misuse has said it is concerned about the emergence of a late night booze delivery service on the internet.

A spokeswoman for the Civic Alcohol Forum says it has also passed on details of the Dial-a-Drink service, currently being promoted on a social network site, to the PSNI.

“The Civic Alcohol Forum (CAF) is very concerned that such a service is being advertised to the public in Derry,” the spokeswoman says.

“The licensing and sale of alcohol is matter for the police and the CAF has passed on the information we have received to the PSNI to investigate any potential breaches of licensing legislation.”

The Dial-a-Drink facebook page says its service launched in Derry last Monday. It says it will deliver alcohol to people in Derry between the hours of 10pm and 5am seven days a week. An initial post encouraged potential customers to be “the ‘VERY’ first 2 place your D.A.D order and get 10% discount on first order.”

A mobile phone number is also listed while the site further advises a price list “will be up shortly.”
(Source: Derry Journal)

Donegal

Up on 400 people attended a meeting in Donegal Town last Monday night to discuss the impact of the impending taxes and charges that the Government intend to implement in the coming months with a particular focus on the septic tank, household and water taxes.

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Nster.com