What the papers say: Thursday's front pages

Ellen O'Donoghue

The removal of murder victims, mother Vanessa Whyte and her children James and Sara Rutledge, and five men being jailed for torturing a woman feature on many front pages on Thursday morning.

The Irish Times lead with the Ombudsman for Children suspending regular visits to hear concerns from asylum seekers living in direct provision centres over budget constraints, a gang being jailed for the 'barbaric' torture of a woman in a Dublin flat, and the Government moving ahead with triple lock reform in autumn.

The Irish Examiner lead with there being over 7,000 fewer drug searches carried out last year compared to 2022, a man who spat phlegm in a garda's face in Cork being turned away from prison because it was full, disinformation around the attack on a garda in Dublin being criticised, and more Palestinians being killed awaiting aid.

The Irish Independent lead with the number of households in arrears on their energy bills hitting a record high just as network charges are set to rise.

The Belfast Telegraph lead with Freddy Scappaticci having died of pneumonia and a stroke in St Peter's Hospital in Chertsey, Surrey, according to his death certificate.

The Irish Daily Mail lead with Revenue staff being slapped, intimidated and attacked by irate members of the public.

The Herald lead with five men being sentenced to 55 years in prison for the torture of a woman in a Dublin flat.

The Echo lead with a man who sexually abused and later raped his younger sister when he was between 12 and 16 being jailed for two and a half years.

The Irish Daily Mirror and Irish Daily Star both lead with the removal of murder victims, mother Vanessa Whyte and her children, Sara Rutledge and James Rutledge.