A post-mortem examination has confirmed that Alex Coughlan, who died following a serious assault in Blanchardstown last month, sustained “traumatic” head and neck injuries, a court has heard.
Mr Coughlan, aged 37, was discovered unconscious on 17 May on the Mill Road and was brought to hospital in a critical condition, where he was pronounced dead three days later, reports RTE.
Shortly after his death, gardaí charged two boys in connection with the incident.
The boys, aged 16 and 17, are accused of causing serious harm to Mr Coughlan at Mill Road under section 4 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, and were also charged with robbing him of his bank cards and a €300 gold ring, reports RTE.
The boys, who cannot be identified due to their age, had been refused bail in the District Court on 20 May, with the younger defendant bringing a fresh application before Mr Justice Sean Gillane in the High Court in Cloverhill, which was also refused.
Garda Sergeant Emma Ryan told the court the man had been assaulted and robbed of his gold ring, wallet and bank cards at Mill Road, Blanchardstown, reports RTE.
Objecting to bail, Sergeant Ryan said the post-mortem had confirmed the cause of death as traumatic head injuries.
Citing the gravity of the case, she told the court that Mr Coughlan had injuries to his neck, scrapes to his knees and elbows consistent with him having been on his knees, and had “no defensive injuries,” reports RTE.
The court heard he suffered severe bruising and that there was evidence of suffocation and choking.
Sergeant Ryan agreed with Keith Branagan BL for the State that it had been a sustained assault, and that footage was available, reports RTE.
The court heard the meeting had been arranged under false pretences for the purpose of committing robbery and extortion offences and that no other motive was identified.
She said Mr Coughlan had been walking along the road when the pair blocked his path, reports RTE.
A witness reported seeing Mr Coughlan on his knees “crying and pleading to the two males.”
His AIB and Revolut cards were used in local shops within minutes, and a gold ring given to him by his father was taken, reports RTE.
Sergeant Ryan said a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to bringing a more serious charge.
The sergeant agreed with defence counsel Ronan Prendergast BL, instructed by solicitor Brian Keenan, that there were no messages exchanged between his client and the deceased, reports RTE.
Mr Prendergast submitted that his client, who had been attending school, was accompanied to court by his father, who had €1,000 available as a surety.
Counsel said the boy would comply with conditions and engage with a bail supervision scheme linked to the juvenile justice system, reports RTE.
However, Mr Justice Gillane upheld the objections and refused bail, noting that the boy had to be aware that Mr Coughlan had been left “prone, injured and bloodied.”
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