METRO Tuesday, December 8, 2009 D Dealer is rumbled by burglary report A drug dealer was arrested after he reported a garda search of his former home as a burglary. garda searched the home of robert Atkinson, 25, of rossmore road, Ballyfermot, after receiving a tip-off about drugs there. Atkinson was not home and they forced their way in. returning home, he thought he had been burgled and went to the garda station to make a statement, but was himself arrested. He pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and cannabis worth 246,770 and will be sentenced later. Gardas face is slashed in raid A PLAIN-CLOTHEd garda suffered slash wounds to his face last night after he intervened in a shop robbery. The officer, who was on duty at the time, was passing the shop on dublins South Circular road around 7pm when he saw a man jump over the counter and threaten staff. The garda confronted the robber, who was wearing a balaclava, and was cut on the face, before the attacker fled the scene empty handed in a red Honda Civic which was dumped a short distance away. The officer, in his early 30s, was taken to hospital, but his injuries were not life threatening. MENU THE Home Digest 4 Guilty Pleasures Celebrity gossip 6 World Digest 8 Letters 10 MetroLife Eating out 12&21 60 Second Interview Bill Bailey 22 TV 22-23 Puzzles 24 Classifieds 25-28 Sport 29-32 Help keep Dublin clean and tidy for everyone by taking your Metro with you and recycling it 40% of nine-year-olds bullied in last year ABOuT 40 per cent of nine-year-olds have been bullied in the past year, new research reveals. Alarmingly, despite the high number of children who reported being victimised, fewer than a quarter of mothers were aware of the problem. The growing up In Ireland survey, which tracked the lives of 8,500 nine- year-olds, also discovered one in four was overweight or obese. But the vast majority of children 98 per cent were reported by their mothers to be in good health. Minister for Children Barry Andrews said the high percentage of chil- dren reporting bullying was cause for concern. While most of those surveyed found the abuse took traditional forms such as verbal slurs and exclusion, Mr Andrews warned about the new forms of abuse online and via text messages. Mobile phones and text bullying sepa- rate the bullier from the bullied and see- ing the consequences, the minister (pic- tured) said. The nature of it makes it a little more insidious and worthy of attention, he added. The government-funded study is the first in a series of 20 research reports tracing the development of the nine-year- olds along with a group of 11,000 nine- month-olds over the next three years. Already we can see how growing up In Ireland has the potential to assist in developing policies that will improve the lives of children in Ireland, Mr Andrews said. By Jeananne Craig A GOOD SANTA CAUSE Launching Focus irelands Singing Santas campaign is Miss ireland Laura Patterson who is urging professional and amateur singing groups to direct their talents to helping raise vital funds for the charity over Christmas. Carol singers can sign up to become Focus ireland Singing Santas by calling Lisa groome on (01) 881 5900 or e-mailing events@ focusireland. ie Picture: Marc OSullivan TODay: Wet and windy, clearing later. Max: 11C TOMOrrOW: Windy, showery with dry periods. Max: 10C METRO Weather Screw turned on corrupt prison officer A prison officer and a convicted murderer serving a life sentence, who were both involved in smuggling drugs into Mountjoy prison, have been jailed for a total of seven years by Judge Katherine Delahunt. prison officer Dillon oBrien, 37, who was in charge of landing B3 in the prison, trafficked heroin and mobile phones to inmate Thomas Hinchon, having received the items from Hinchons brother sen. oBrien, of Charnwood Meadows, Clonsilla, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and was given received a four-year sentence. Thomas Hinchon was sentenced to three years concurrent to the sentence he is serving. When he was arrested, oBrien told garda he was addicted to cocaine, ecstasy and steroids and that he was getting 2g of cocaine for every successful drop. He added that he was relieved the offences had come to light as he had been leading a double life. The craic is mighty up in heaven, mass hearsFoLK legend Liam Clancy was reunited with his brothers and bandmates after a passionate life that was lived to the full, his funeral service heard yesterday. on a biting cold day, hundreds packed into st Marys Church in Dungarvan, Co Waterford, to raise a parting glass to the irish balladeer, praised by Bob Dylan as the best ever. priest Conor Kelly said Clancy had a joy of life driven by a belief that it was too wonderful to just get through living in the shallows. The band is together again, the music is fierce and the craic is mighty, said Fr Kelly. Music impresario shay Healy said America had Elvis, Britain had The Beatles and ireland had The Clancys And Tommy Makem. Led by wife Kim and children Eban, Donal, sen, Andrew, siobhn, Fiona and ine, and sisters peg power and Joan Butler, mourners spontaneously burst into song during the mass. There was standing room only in the church as figures from irish music and politics turned out for the send-off. Clancys trademark cap, a concertina, a book of poetry and a photograph of him sat on his coffin throughout. Legend: Liam Clancy index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html24.html25.html26.html27.html28.html29.html30.html31.html