Cormac Campbell

Senior nursing assistant Ciara Corvan was sentenced to two years’ probation and 100 hours of community service after pleading guilty to seven charges involving degrading videos and commentary about four dementia patients at Craigavon Area Hospital. A judge described the conduct as a serious breach of trust, while affected families said the patients had been humiliated. The Police Service of Northern Ireland said it was the first Northern Ireland prosecution of its kind. The Southern Health and Social Care Trust apologised, said Corvan had been removed from duty, and described the safeguarding steps taken. Commissioner for Older People Siobhan Casey called for lessons to be learned and stronger legal protections for vulnerable adults.

Senior nursing assistant Ciara Corvan was sentenced to two years’ probation and 100 hours of community service after pleading guilty to seven counts of ill-treatment involving four dementia patients at Craigavon Area Hospital’s Bluestone Unit. She recorded and shared degrading videos, including footage of a patient in a bath, exploiting the patients’ vulnerability and lack of capacity to communicate. Families, the judge and police condemned the conduct as a serious breach of trust and the first prosecution of its kind in Northern Ireland. The Southern Trust apologized, said Corvan was removed from duty and that families received support, while the Commissioner for Older People called for stronger safeguarding protections.

Young musicians and dancers across Ulster prepare for the upcoming All-Ireland Fleadh in Belfast, with top performers from the Ulster Fleadh earning qualification through what organisers call the golden key. Competitors, including instrumentalists and dancers, highlight enjoyment, community and friendship as key motivations. Events span a wide range of traditional music and dance categories across multiple age groups, with strong anticipation for the festival’s arrival in Belfast.

Young musicians and dancers across Ulster compete at the Ulster Fleadh in Warrenpoint for qualification to the All-Ireland Fleadh in Belfast, with top performers earning a coveted “golden key” to the finals. Competitors including youth musician Eimear Sloan, brothers Ayman and Rayan Morgan, and a group of Irish dancers prepare across various age groups and disciplines, describing the event as a source of enjoyment, community, and friendship. The All-Ireland Fleadh is expected to draw large crowds to Belfast as the Ulster event continues through Sunday.

A Belfast Crown Court judge found James Seamus Fox not guilty of the 1994 murder of postal worker Frank Kerr during an IRA robbery in Newry, ruling that DNA evidence linking him to the crime was too weak and potentially contaminated. The judgement highlighted shortcomings in the original investigation, including poor scene management and inconsistencies with eyewitness descriptions. The robbery’s events, subsequent police pursuit, and earlier related convictions were detailed, while Sinn Féin representatives attended the proceedings.