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	In Short Irish Times March 14, 2011 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0315/1224292162966.html A round-up of today's other stories in brief Priest's appeal against sentence for abuse nearly 30 years ago fails An elderly priest has failed in his appeal against his three-year sentence for sexually abusing an altar boy in his Wicklow parish nearly 30 years ago. The Court of Criminal Appeal found yesterday that the approach taken by Judge Michael O’Shea in sentencing Fr Thomas Naughton (79) was “impeccable” and that he had committed no error in principle in reaching his conclusions. Mr Justice Liam McKechnie, sitting with Mr Justice Declan Budd and Mr Justice Daniel O’Keeffe, said Naughton had been in a position of trust and authority but had abused both and had inflicted a 30-year “sentence of vulnerability” on his victim. Orla Crowe, defending, said the sentencing judge did not give due regard to Naughton’s efforts at rehabilitation, his considerable health difficulties and the remorse he had shown. Schoolgirl rescued from lake walk A 16-year-old schoolgirl who was injured in a fall on the Spink walk high over the main lake in Glendalough, Co Wicklow, yesterday was airlifted to hospital by the Irish Coast Guard. The Dublin-based Sikorsky helicopter was tasked at 12.30pm when the alert was raised by a group from a school in Co Meath. The schoolgirl sustained an open wound to her lower leg after falling and required emergency treatment. She was winched with a teacher on to the helicopter and flown to Dublin airport, where she was transferred by HSE ambulance to Beaumont Hospital. Man jailed for rape and sexual assault A man has been sentenced to six years and two months at the Central Criminal Court for rape in a Dublin apartment almost two years ago. John Noghayin (29), Cabra Park, Dublin, who is from Nigeria, was convicted by a jury last month of raping and sexually assaulting a woman in May 2009. He had pleaded not guilty to all the charges. Mr Justice Barry White told Noghayin that by pleading not guilty, he had deprived himself of any credit he could have given him for not putting his victim through the ordeal of giving evidence. He gave Noghayin credit for 16 months he had spent in custody, suspending the last 2? years. Job losses warning if class sizes are increased in Gaelscoileanna More than 30 jobs could be lost in Irish language schools after the Department of Education moved to increase their pupil- teacher ratio, the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation warned last night. In all, 29 Gaelscoileanna will see an increase in class size and a threat to teaching posts. Two positions will be lost in four schools. Gaelscoileanna Teo, the umbrella group for Irish language schools, will launch a campaign today against the decision. At present, the number of pupils in classes in Irish-medium schools is slightly lower than in English-medium schools. INTO general secretary Sheila Nunan said the move would significantly increase the number of pupils in classes in many of the schools. Snow halts Croagh Patrick climb A charity climb to the summit of Croagh Patrick, Co Mayo, to raise funds for children with autism had to be curtailed yesterday for safety reasons because of deep snow at higher altitude. The organisers of the seven-day Croagh Patrick challenge decided it was too risky to allow climbers to negotiate the treacherous final stretch. Johnny Oosten, one of the organisers of the annual seven-day challenge, said the unseasonal cold snap had taken them by surprise. Snow on the upper slopes was several feet deep. Taoiseach Enda Kenny was one of those affected by the decision. Gardai appeal for help over attack Gardai are seeking help from members of the public following a brutal attack by a gang on a man in Dublin city centre. The incident happened between 3.30am and 4am on Sunday, February 20th, as the man, who was walking with three friends on College Green, was attacked by eight or nine other men. The man was knocked to the ground where he received a number of blows. Gardai are asking anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward, in particular “a female who administered first aid to the injured man”. Contact Pearse Street Garda station at 01 666 9000. Priest to get global justice award Irish Columban priest Fr Sean McDonagh is to receive the eighth annual Partnership for Global Justice Award in New York on May 1st, writes Patsy McGarry. He has been an outspoken critic of the destruction of the environment since working with the T’boli people on the Philippine island of Mindanao in the 1970s and 1980s. Partnership for Global Justice is an international network of religious congregations, social justice groups and individuals who campaign on environmental issues.
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