The Gardai are baffled as to why this garda was targeted in this way

An investigation has been launched after a Wexford-based Garda had the brakes on both his cars cut.

According to the Irish Daily Star today the disturbing incident happened on Christmas morning.

The middle-aged garda, who is reported to be well-known and well-respected in the rural area he works in, first had his home targeted as expanding foam was poured into the pipes of his house in a bid to cause a flood.

The Garda then noticed that the exhaust pipes of the cars owned by him and his wife had also been blocked with the foam.

After removing the foam the Garda drove off and it was then that he discovered that the brakes were not working on his car.

He managed to safely stop without any damage to himself or the car.

A subsequent check of his wife's car also revealed the brakes were cut on it too.

Now the gardai are trying to find a motive for the attempted murder bid.

The Star report that the garda has not been involved in any high-profile or sensitive investigations, so the investigators are struggling to identify a motive or suspects in the case.

The crew approach the stricken animal

A young horse was dramatically rescued from a flooded river in Co Tipperary yesterday afternoon.

The yearling got into difficulty when it fell into Nenagh River shortly after 12 midday.

A member of the public contacted Valentia Coast Guard after seeing the foal being swept downstream into Lough Derg.

Lough Derg RNLI received the call to assist and launched a lifeboat in an effort to save the horse.

Crew members encouraged the horse to swim towards shore by wading into the water and herding him towards shallow water.

The brave volunteers held a tow line between them to ensure the horse would not try to swim back out into the lake.

A bucket of oats was the final temptation for the animal who managed to pull himself out of the water and into an enclosed field.

A vet called by Valentia Coast Guard attended to the animal's injuries to the chest and knee.

Saudi Arabia's state television channel displays an image of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr

Saudi Arabia has executed 47 criminals, including leading Shiite Muslim cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, the country's state television said.

The state-run Saudi Press Agency and state television announced the executions on Saturday, quoting the Interior Ministry. The SPA published a list of 30 names and said more would follow.

Saudi Arabia carried out at least 157 executions in 2015, with beheadings reaching their highest level in the kingdom in two decades, according to several advocacy groups that monitor the death penalty worldwide.

Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr was a central figure in 2011 Arab Spring-inspired protests in the kingdom.

His killing may spark new unrest among Saudi Arabia's Shiite minority, largely concentrated in the kingdom's east, and in Bahrain, which has seen low-level violence since 2011 protests by its Shiite majority demanding greater rights from its Sunni monarchy.

Of those executed, Saudi Arabia said 45 were Saudi citizens, one was from Chad and another was from Egypt.

Saudi Arabia said a royal court order was issued to implement the sentences after all appeals had been exhausted. The executions were carried out Saturday in the capital, Riyadh, and 12 other cities and towns, it said.

Al-Nimr had been a vocal critic of Bahrain's Sunni-led monarchy, which harshly suppressed the 2011 Shiite-led protests. Saudi Arabia sent troops to help Bahrain quash the uprising, fearing it would spread.

Amnesty International has called the verdict against the cleric, who was in his mid-50s, part of a campaign by Saudi authorities to "crush all dissent".

Before his arrest in 2012, al-Nimr had said the people do not want rulers who kill and carry out injustices against protesters. He was asked at his trial if he disapproves of the Al Saud ruling family.

"If injustice stops against Shiites in the east, then (at that point) I can have a different opinion," the cleric responded, according to his brother Mohammed, who attended court sessions.

Al-Nimr did not deny the political charges against him, but said he never carried weapons or called for violence.

In announcing the verdicts, Saudi state television showed mugshots of all those executed. Al-Nimr was number 46, expressionless with a grey beard, his head covered with the red-and-white scarf traditionally worn by Saudi men.

After listing the names and images of those executed, Saudi state television showed black-and-white footage of previous terror attacks in the kingdom, one showing bodies in a mosque after an attack. Soft, traditional music played in the background.

Coinciding with the rise in executions is the number of people executed for non-lethal offences that judges have wide discretion to rule on, particularly drug-related crimes.

Former crime boss Gerry Hutch

It is being reported that the Christy Kinahan drugs cartel have been desperately seeking a meeting with former crime boss Gerry Hutch, but it is understood 'The Monk' is refusing to meet them

Sources have revealed to the Herald that the gang members want to explain to him why they had his nephew, Gary Hutch (below), shot dead in Spain.

It is believed that the cartel have proof that Gary had been acting as a police informer in the months before he was shot dead in an apartment complex in Miraflores near Marbella on the Costa del Sol on the morning of September 24 last.

It has been claimed that the cartel set up a bogus drugs run from Spain to England after becoming suspicious that Gary was an informer earlier this year. They made sure that he was aware that it was happening.

Sources said that when the bogus package was intercepted by authorities in the UK it confirmed the cartel's suspicions.

However, it has also emerged that it was never the mob's intention to be involved in any dispute with The Monk.

"Gerry Hutch may no longer be involved in crime, but he is still highly respected by many senior criminals," a source is quoted as saying in the Herald.

"But all the indications at this time is that he wants nothing to do with them at all and has no interest in sitting down with the cartel."

The mob have also put up €10,000 for gang inmates to attack Gary's younger brother Derek "Del Boy" Hutch in jail - something that has happened twice in Mountjoy Prison since Gary was shot dead.

In October, Del Boy survived a stab attack by two psychopathic criminal brothers. He was moved to Portloaise Prison.

However, Del Boy was moved back to Mountjoy Prison and was attacked again on the evening of December 11 when the 27-year-old was pinned down in a shocking shiv attack.

Convicted gangland killer Craig White fought a pitched jail-cell battle to intervene and ultimately save the life of Hutch.

Via Herald.ie

Michael McConville

Tributes have been paid to a young GAA man from Co Armagh who died suddenly on Friday at the age of 31.

Michael McConville from Lurgan was a talented GAA player and a massive fan who was a devoted to his sport.

He was a member of Clann Eireann GAC in Lurgan and was widely respected in his  community.

A former cup and medal winner himself at county level, Mr McConville coached and trained younger GAA teams.

While it is not clear how Mr McConville died, police are not treating his death as suspicious.

He was found in the early hours of the morning on the North Circular Road of Lurgan.

Facebook user Daniel O'Toole described Mr McConville as always having "the biggest smile on his face".

The chairman of High Moss Sarsfields GFC said on Facebook :"We are all deeply saddened to hear of the death of Michael McConville. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and the Clann Eireann GAC community.

Sean Tracey's Hurling Club said "Such a sad, sad day today" while the Wolfe Tone GAC  said that members' thoughts were with the Clann Eireann club.

Sinn Fein councillor Keith Haughian described the news as "tragic".

A spokesperson from the PSNI said: “Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the sudden death of a man aged in his 30’s whose body was found in the North Circular Road area of Lurgan this morning, Friday 01 January.

“A post mortem examination will be conducted to determine the cause of death that is not being treated as suspicious at this time.”

Tributes have also flowed in on social media:

Suaimhneas síoraí ar anam uasal Michael McConville. Deepest condolences to his family, friends & to @ClannEireann1. pic.twitter.com/phlscaQIVL

— Armagh GAA (@Armagh_GAA) January 2, 2016

Deepest sympathies to all at Clann Eireann at the untimely passing of Michael McConville. Thoughts and prayers to all from Clan na Gael

— Clan na Gael CLG (@clannagael1922) January 2, 2016

Thoughts + Prayers go out to @ClannEireann1 stalwart Michael McConville who tragically passed away this morning Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam

— Ballymacnab GAA (@Ballymacnab_GAA) January 1, 2016

A still from the viral video

MANAGEMENT of a well-known pub have said they reported a bouncer to gardai after footage of violent incident on New Year’s Eve went viral on social media.

The footage, taken outside Matt The Miller's pub in Kilkenny on New Year's Eve, shows a bouncer stand on a defenceless man's head as he is being held on the ground by two other men.

The horrific incident was posted on Facebook by Joe Maher yesterday, and has racked up more than 250,000 views.

“We at Matt The Millers have been made aware of a very serious incident that occurred on New Years Eve outside our premises,” the business said in a statement today.

“Firstly we wish to say, we are completely disgusted and horrified by the actions of the individuals who were acting completely outside the remit of their engagement as Independent Security Personnel, employed by Tiger Security Ltd. 

“We abhor violence of any form and are treating this incident in the most serious manner possible. We have reported this incident directly to the Gardai ourselves, whom we have met and are complying fully with this investigation. We are also in in direct contact with the other relevant parties.

“We thank you for ongoing concern.”

Both youngsters were stabbed in the torso in London

A 16-year-old boy is in a critical condition in hospital after he and another teenager were stabbed by knifemen on mopeds.

Both youngsters were stabbed in the torso in Mountearl Gardens in Streatham, south London, on December 30 at 5.30pm, Scotland Yard said.

The second boy, 17, was treated for his injuries and has been discharged from hospital.

Scotland Yard said: "Detectives believe that the victims sustained their injuries after two mopeds each with a rider and pillion passenger approached them. The pillion passengers then attacked the victims before fleeing on the waiting mopeds, heading in the direction of Mount Nod Road.

"Neither of the pillion passengers is believed to have worn a helmet."

No arrests have been made and detectives have asked witnesses or anyone with information to contact Lambeth CID on 101.

Emergency services at the scene of the crash (Pics via @DubFireBrigade/Twitter)

A single-vehicle incident on the M50/M1 slip road today left a car on its roof and the driver in hospital

The dramatic pictures, posted on Twitter by Dublin Fire Brigade, show the car flipped onto its roof.

​

DUBLIN: There is a collision on the M50 northbound free flow slip to the M1 at the M1/M50 Interchange, blocking one lane. Gardai en route..

— AA Roadwatch (@aaroadwatch) January 2, 2016

According to Dublin Fire Brigade the driver of the car was taken to hospital with 'spinal precautions'.

The slip road re-opened shortly after 2pm.

A McDonald's car park was the scene of a shooting

Two people have been arrested after a shooting in a McDonald's car park.

The windows were blown out of a blue Volkswagen Golf with two people inside while parked outside the restaurant in St Andrew's Quay, in Hull, police said.

The occupants were uninjured, while the suspects made off in a grey Volkswagen Golf.

A Humberside Police spokesman said two people were in custody but added: "We know the registration plate of outstanding vehicle and offenders.

"Scene still closed for CSI opportunities. Suspect and offenders all believed to know one another."

Humberside Police said a 999 call was made at 11.35am by a member of the public reporting a number shots being fired.

Video posted online showed armed officers approaching the blue Golf with guns drawn.

The spokesman said a member of the public received treatment at the scene for shock.

He added: "An outer cordon has been put in place around the scene of the firearms incident and firearms-trained officers, the police helicopter, specialist police dogs and many other supporting departments of the police are in attendance, tracking down the offenders."

The Grey Golf made off from the scene, passing an Asda supermarket on Hessle Road, travelling in the direction of Gipsyville.

Steve Gohouri playing for Wigan in 2011

Ivory Coast international and former Wigan defender Steven Gohouri has been found dead in a river in Germany three weeks after he was reported missing, according to reports in German media.

BILD say that the 34-year-old's body was discovered by Dusseldorf police today in the Rhine.

The defender had been playing for TSV Steinbach in the German fourth division and he told team-mates he was travelling to Paris to visit family in mid-December.

However, when he didn't show up in the French capital, the alarm was raised.

Gohouri, who also played for PSG and Borussia Mönchengladbach, signed for Wigan in 2010 after a succesful loan spell. He spent two seasons at the DW Stadium, before moving on to Maccabi Tel Aviv in the summer of 2012.

Capped 14 times by his country authorities will now conduct an autopsy to try and find out Gohouri died.

The Coast Guard helicopter airlifted the man to hospital

A swimmer was airlifted to hospital today after he got difficultly in the Irish Sea.

The man was spotted off the North Beach in Rush, Co Dublin, by a fishing vessel shortly after 9.30am.

The Irish Coast Guard helicopter 116, a coast guard crew from Skerries, and Skerries RNLI were dispatched to the scene.

An Irish Coast Guard spokesman said the man made it ashore himself within 10 minutes, but was distressed and airlifted to hospital in Drogheda for a check up.

Jason Corbett

Jason Corbett’s wife Molly Martens and father-in-law Thomas Michael Martens have been charged over his death.

Local media is reporting Molly Martens Corbett (31)  and her father, Thomas Michael Martens (65) are being indicted on charges of second-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter.

They are accused of killing 39-year-old Jason Paul Corbett.

Earlier this evening on Facebook Ms Martens posted: "I cannot believe the level of slander, harassment, lies and absolute utter corruption.

"The truth does not matter.

"Shouldn't the truth matter? Shouldn't the truth prevail? Doesn't anyone care about the truth?

Via Independent.ie

John Gilligan

The Christy Kinahan crime cartel has enlisted a gangland hitman, who previously attempted to murder exiled crimelord John Gilligan, to kill a very close associate of Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch.

The targeted man - who is in his early 20s and from Dublin's north inner city - previously worked for the cartel but is understood to have cut his ties from them after the mob murdered The Monk's nephew Gary Hutch (34) in Spain last September.

Gary Hutch

The young hood was very close to Gary and is said to be "absolutely heartbroken" about his murder.

He is believed to have sworn revenge for the assassination in the 'Costa-Del-Crime'. It is not known if he has been officially warned about the active threat on his life but the young man is believed to be "well aware of it".

Last night, it emerged that the Kinahan mob are blaming the young thug for a botched shooting attempt on associates of the crime cartel at the Red Cow Hotel in November 2015, which was a revenge attempt for the Gary Hutch murder.

Perma-tanned Liam Roe (36) miraculously escaped with his life after a would-be assassin's gun jammed.

Liam Roe

Former criminal mastermind Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch, who has now gone clean, has also been refusing to attend "a clear-the-air" meeting with the mob.

Then it emerged yesterday that on New Year's Eve The Monk narrowly escaped an apparent attempt on his life.

It is understood two balaclava-wearing gunmen burst into a pub in Lanzarote where he had been drinking moments before.

Gerry Hutch

"This could all develop into a bloodbath fairly quickly and the fact that the Kinahan cartel are now dealing with a psychopathic hitman from Finglas will not ease tensions at all," a source explained.

"The belief is that the hitman has been tasked with getting at the young north inner city man who has very close links to The Monk. This is because he is being blamed for the attempted murder of Liam Roe."

The Finglas-based hitman is considered "extremely volatile" and is suspected to have made two attempts to murder John Gilligan - one in a Castleknock pub in December 2013, and the other in February 2014, when Gilligan was shot a number of times at his brother's Clondalkin home.

The north inner city criminal he has been tasked with shooting is suspected of shooting at 'Fat' Freddie Thompson's first cousin Liam Roe last November.

Roe was taking a cigarette break outside the hotel, where he was attending a boxing fundraiser, when the incident occurred and the gun jammed.

Roe ran away before up to 50 associates of the Kinahan mob fled the venue in high-powered vehicles. Gardai do not believe that Roe was a specific target, but that there is a shoot-to-kill policy on any Kinahan associates since the assassination of Gary Hutch. Since then it is understood that the young man has gone into hiding.

Another criminal who sources say has cut his ties with the cartel over the Gary Hutch murder is a feared hitman who is suspected of carrying out the murders of Paul Kavanagh last year and Eamon 'The Don' Dunne in 2010.

Sources say the hitman has refused to attend a number of meetings the cartel has attempted to organise since the murder of Gary Hutch, which "disgusted him".

"He has gone into hiding," a source said.

Ken Foy 

A spate of terrifying robberies in the capital's southside in the past 10 days may have been carried out by a thug who was out of prison on Christmas temporary release.

Gardai in Dun Laoghaire are investigating at least five armed robberies linked to the suspect who used a hammer to terrorise staff in shops before escaping with relatively small amounts of cash.

In each case, the raider entered the shop with a hammer and threatened employees while a getaway driver in a silver estate car waited for him and then drove him away.

The duo first struck at the Centra at Barnhill Road in Dalkey at 2.30pm on Sunday, December 27, when the man armed with a hammer entered the shop.

"He held the weapon to a staff member and made off with a sum less than €200 from the till," a source explained.

On that occasion, he disguised himself with a scarf and wore a baseball cap and gardai believe the criminal is aged in either his late 20s or early 30s.

The pair struck again at 2.55pm last Tuesday when they escaped with a similar cash sum from the Xtra-Vision store at Glenageary.

For that crime, the raider wore a hoodie and a 'snood' and eye witnesses reported that there were no reg plates on the silver Peugeot estate car that drove him away.

Other shops that have been targeted by the hammer-wielding criminal since then include the Centra at Blackglen Road in Sandyford last Thursday afternoon and a Daybreak shop in the Barton Road, Churchtown on Sunday.

It is understood that at least two shops in Dun Laoghaire were also targeted by the criminals last week who brazenly parked outside the shops, waiting until the premises are quiet.

Ken Foy 

President Barack Obama has moved to tighten gun laws in the US following a series of mass shootings, claiming his plan would save lives.

But the proposals were sure to lead to opposition in Congress and the powerful gun industry lobby.

Mr Obama wants to require all gun sellers to register as dealers - even those who sell at gun shows and online - and to run background checks on all prospective purchasers.

The president has been looking for ways to work around a Republican-led Congress that has blocked his previous efforts to tighten gun laws in the wake of mass shootings.

Mr Obama has accused Republicans - and some Democrats - of being beholden to the gun industry lobby and opposing some measures he says a majority of Americans support, including expanded background checks on gun sales.

But the issue of gun control bitterly divides Americans, with many viewing any attempt to regulate firearms as a possible infringement on their constitutional rights to own guns.

"This is not going to solve every violent crime in this country," Mr Obama said. But he added: "It will potentially save lives and spare families the pain of these extraordinary losses."

The president's plan to broaden background checks forms the centrepiece of a broader package of measures he wants to take on his own on gun control in his final year in office.

Although Mr Obama cannot unilaterally change gun laws, the president is hoping that beefing up enforcement of existing laws can prevent at least some gun deaths in a country rife with them.

Under current law, only federally licensed gun dealers must conduct background checks on buyers.

But many who sell guns at flea markets, on websites or other informal settings do not register as dealers. Gun control advocates say that loophole is exploited to skirt the background check requirement.

The executive actions on gun control fall far short of what he and like-minded politicians attempted to accomplish with legislation in 2013, after a massacre at a Connecticut school that shook the nation's conscience.

Even so, the more modest measures were sure to spark a confrontation with Republicans and gun rights groups that oppose new impediments to buying guns.

"We're very comfortable that the president can legally take these actions now," said Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

Mr Obama's announcement was hailed by Democratic politicians and gun control groups like the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, which claimed he was making history with "bold and meaningful action" that would make all Americans safer.

Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton, at a rally in Iowa, said she was "so proud" of Mr Obama but warned that the next president could easily undo his changes.

"I won't wipe it away," she said.

Republicans were quick to attack Mr Obama, with Senator Bob Corker denouncing his steps as "divisive and detrimental to real solutions".

He said: "I will work with my colleagues to respond appropriately to ensure the Constitution is respected."

Far from mandating background checks for all gun sales, the new guidance still exempt collectors and gun hobbyists, and the exact definition of who must register as a dealer and conduct background checks remains vague.

The administration did not issue a number for how many guns someone must sell to be considered a dealer, instead saying it planned to remind people that courts have deemed people to be dealers in some cases even if they only sell a handful of guns.

Rosie Sanchez and Anderson Nunez

A 15-year-old girl is being quizzed boy police after the decomposing bodies of her mother and her mother’s partner were discovered on Sunday evening.

38-year-old Rosie Sanchez and her boyfriend 40-year-old Anderson Nunez were discovered at their Brooklyn apartment.

Sanchez's 15-year-old daughter is being quizzed by police after allegedly confessing to a cousin that she killed them because her mum's boyfriend repeatedly raped her, according to police.

Reports indicate that the cousin contacted police, who found the decomposing bodies after conducting a welfare check.

Ms Sanchez was found dead in a bedroom chair while the body of Nunez was discovered on the kitchen floor.

Both had been stabbed repeatedly.

According to reports in the Daily News the teen allegedly confessed to killing the couple on the 27^th of December.

Investigations are ongoing

The green building on Basin Street (Pic: Irish Independent)

A 19-year-old is fighting for his life after he fell from a building at around 4:30pm yesterday.

The incident occurred at vacant premises on Dublin’s Basin Lane.

Dublin Fire Brigade crews treated the young man at the scene before he was brought to hospital where his condition was described as critical.

Gardai sealed off the scene pending a technical examination.

Irish taxpayers are forced to fork out cash to motorway firms if they don’t make enough in tolls.

A reports in today’s Sun reveals that one private operator of a motorway was handed €2.3 million in state compensation.

This firm then handed its foreign shareholders a €2milllion windfall.

The deals signed by the previous Fianna Fail Government mean that the Irish public can expect to be forking out cash to some of these companies for the next 30-years.

In 2014 a staggering €58,452,426 was brought in in motorway tolls for private firms.

Remarkably the lucrative Public-Private Partnership deals ensure that some toll roads receive guaranteed payments from the state if traffic falls below a certain level.

Last year the Eurolink Motorway Operations (M3) between Clonee/Kells was handed €2,301,000 by the taxpayer, even though the accounts show operating profits of €19,810,000.

The Sun reports that the M1 Dundalk Western Bypass made €10,517,629.

The M6 Galway/Ballinasloe earned €6,293,000 in tolls despite receiving €646,000 in NRA payments.

The M8 Rathcormac/Fermoy made received cash from the taxpayer despite earning €7,480,105.

The M4/M6 Kilcock/Kinnegad had an operating profit of €11,110,000 and reported a salary bill of €1,706,000 for its 27 staff (average of €63,186 each).

However, the tax payer may take some consolation in the fact that the M50’s operator ‘National Toll Roads’ was bought by the State for €600m in 2008 raked in a whopping €98,179,000 in 2014, posting a profit of €17,549,000 in profit after expenses.

Michaella McCollum

23-year-old Irish drugs mule Michaella McCollum Connolly has been moved to a prison hospital in Peru after contracting a tropical disease.

McCollum, from Co Tyrone, was detained with her accomplice Melissa Reid at Lima Airport in August 2013 after 11.5kg of cocaine was found in their luggage.

An inmate in the Ancon 2 prison told the Irish Daily Star: "Michaella has been brought to the hospital in the prison. She has a tropical illness but we don't know what it is.

"We really hope she is ok. This [illness] is pretty regular in here, especially with the foreigners."

The 23-year-old could be home in a matter of months after she applied to be released under new Peruvian laws which allow foreign inmates to walk free after serving just a third of their sentences.

If approved the 23-year-old, and her fellow trafficker Melissa Reid, could be making their way home.

It was thought that the duo could be home before Christmas but Peruvian officials failed to rubber-stamp the documents necessary to facilitate a transfer to a prison in the North.

The Renua party revealed yesterday that they want to introduce a “three strikes rule” for repeat offenders.

Those who commit serious offences like rape, child sex abuse and burglary could be caged for life.

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The measures were detailed within the party’s 74-page manifesto which was launched yesterday.

Party leader Lucinda Creighton said: “We make no apologies for being tough on crime. What we consider to be heavy-handed is the terrorisation of people in their homes across the country.

“Even in my own constituency crime rates are climbing all the time unfortunately, so it is an urban and a rural problem.

“We have seen some really tragic cases in the last 12 months of repeat offenders, many of them with as many as 15 convictions, who have been found guilty of rape, assault, serious burglary.

“And all of those people should not be on the streets. That’s the reality of it.”

Murder already has a mandatory life sentence, but Renua want to widen this to include repeat rapists, sex abusers and burglars.