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2 Wednesday 8th July 2009 WEXFORD ECHO NEWSPAPERS

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Falling Prices PRICES FOR residential property nationwide have

fallen almost 6% in the second quarter of the year,according to the latest report published by propertywebsite Daft.ie. This means that the selling price is19% lower than this time a year ago, and 23% lowerthan the peak in 2007.

In South-East Leinster (Carlow, Kilkenny andWexford), prices fell by less than the national averagein the last three months – 3.1%, compared to thenational average of 5.7%. With prices having fallenrapidly in recent quarters, Wexford asking prices fellby just 1.5% in the second quarter of the year. Theaverage price in the county is now just over€238,000, 21% below the peak.

Dublin city centre was again the hardest hit withasking prices falling 11% in the past 3 months alone.In Cork and Limerick city, prices dropped by 4% and6% respectively, while in Galway and Waterfordcities, prices fell by just over 2%. The average fall inprices outside the main cities was 4.8%.

The average time-on-market for residential salesproperties continues to increase and is now overseven months, compared with only six weeks duringthe boom, which puts a metaphorical nail in the cof-fin of the building industry

Cool and breezy with bright spellsand just a few light showers

Mainly dry, perhaps a few lightshowers. Continuing cool

Dry for most of the day, but cloudand rain gradually moving in

Cloud and rain graduallymoving in from theAtlantic during early

Saturday, giving heavyrain in places. Clearer

drier weather from thesouthwest duringSaturday night.

Breezy or windy attimes. Becoming a littlewarmer again after thecool midweek weather.

A MAN charged withpossession of quarter of amillion euro worth ofcannabis has seen the caseagainst him collapse atWexford Circuit Court.

Fei Wu, 26, with anaddress at 4 WarrenAvenue, Castleknock,Dublin 15 pleaded notguilty to a charge of pos-session of cannabis withthe intent for sale or sup-ply, after he was stoppedon the Gorey bypass onSaturday, November 8 lastyear.

The court heard evi-dence from SergeantTheresa Philips that shewas on duty on the day inquestion. She was the pas-senger in an unmarkedpatrol car with GardaAnne Marie Bolger as dri-ver. They got a call to go tothe south of the Goreybypass. She told the sixmen and six women on thejury that they understood avehicle was heading northfrom the Ferns/Camolindirection. They had beentold that the car they werelooking for was a blue Kil-dare-registered taxi. Theywere also informed that

the rear fly window wasbroken on the car.

Situated at the Cloughroundabout, Sgt. Philipssaid when the car passedthrough the roundaboutWu looked directly at her-self and Gda. Bolger. Theyfollowed the car andarranged for the exits offthe bypass to be blockedwhile they were waitingfor back up to arrive.

As they passed the lastexit which they knew wasblocked, Sgt. Philips andGda. Bolger made thedecision to stop the vehicleand put on the blue flash-ing lights and the siren.Sgt. Philips approachedthe vehicle and spoke toWu. She noticed there wasa lot of broken glassaround the driver’s seatand that the defendant wasshivering from the cold.

While Wu was beingstopped, Sgt. Philipsunderstood that Gardaífrom Gorey Garda Stationwere looking for anothercar in a different area. Shetold the court there was alot of radio and phonecommunication betweenvarious members of the

Gardaí during this time.Gda. Bolger made a

demand for Wu’s docu-ments and Sgt. Philipsasked the defendant whathad happened to his win-dow. Sgt. Philips said shecautioned the defendant atthis stage and he replied inbroken English that heunderstood what was hap-pening. He added that aman had broken his win-

dow and made a strikingmotion to indicate whathad happened.

At this stage Sgt. Philipsseated Wu in the passengerseat of his own car for hissafety and because it wasso cold.

She seized his personaldocuments including hisdriving licence and taxilicence. Sgt. Philips andGda. Bolger left the sceneat this stage having toldWu to remain in his car.They travelled towardGorey in order to aid otherGardaí in another opera-tion.

When asked by defencebarrister, John Peart, SC, ifshe was surprised to seethe defendant in the carwhen she returned, Sgt.Philips said: “I wasextremely surprised to findthe defendant in the carwhen we returned.”

She told Judge AliceDoyle the defendantbecame agitated and wasgetting aggressive whenthe Gardaí returned. Shehandcuffed the defendantand placed him in thepatrol car. When back-uparrived, Sgt. Philips set

about searching the carand with the aid of GardaPatrick Moore, theyopened the boot of theVolkswagen Passat.

In the boot they foundtwo suitcases. Inside oneof the cases there was aplastic bag with whatappeared to be cannabis init. The second caseremained closed. Wu wasbrought back to the GoreyGarda Station at this stage.

Under cross examina-tion, Mr. Peart questionedSgt. Philips about her rightto detain Wu in the car andalso questioned why Sgt.Philips placed his client inhandcuffs, yet had notarrested him. Sgt. Philipssaid she had done it for herown safety as the defen-dant had become aggres-sive. Following Sgt.Philips evidence, Mr. Peartmade an application in theabsence of the jury and theJudge ordered they returna verdict of not guilty inrelation to the defendant.

Mr. Philip Sheehan, BL,prosecuting, was grantedan order for the destructionof the drugs found in thetaxi.

Drugs case collapses

Fei Wu is in Ireland on astudent visa and workspart-time as a taxi driverin Dublin.

INSIDE ECHO LIFESTYLE THIS WEEKFASHION

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ARTSThis week atArts Centre

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FOODPasta ‘Bellissimo’

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TRAVELBreathtakingDubrovnik

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MENLegend ofthe week

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CINEMAIce Age 3review

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