Youth to be tried for brutal Polish murders

ON THE day that a Dublin youth charged with the murders of Polish nationals Pawel Kalite and Marius Szwajkos was sent forward for trial to the Central Criminal Court it has emerged that a fund of €150,000 will be given to the families of the two Polish men.

Fri, 18 Jul, 2008 - 01:00

The fund was set up by the company where Mr Kalite, 29, and his friend Mr Szwajkos, 27, worked. Both men died after they were attacked on Benbulben Road, in Drimnagh, in Dublin a short distance from where they lived, on February 23 last.

Mr Szwajkos died from his injuries in St James’s Hospital two days later. Mr Kalite died at the same hospital in the early hours of February 28.

David Curran, from Lissadel Green, in Drimnagh, Dublin 12, had been charged in March at the Dublin Children’s Court with the murder of Pawel Kalite.

Following his first court appearance he had been remanded in custody but was subsequently granted bail by the High Court.

Last month, he was further charged with the murder of Marius Szwajkos.

Since the second murder charge was brought he has turned 18 and is no longer deemed a juvenile.

Curran remained silent during the brief proceedings at the Children’s Court yesterday where Judge Clare Leonard was told that the DPP was consenting for the teenager to be sent forward for trial at the present term of the Central Criminal Court. The youth, who was accompanied to court by his father, was served with the book of evidence by Detective Garda Eamonn Maloney.

Judge Leonard informed the youth that should he intend to use an alibi as part of his defence he must notify the State within 14 days. She then made an order returning him for trial and remanded him in custody with consent to High Court bail. Legal aid was granted for both junior and senior counsel representation.

Earlier, Det Gda Maloney told the court that: “It is a hefty book of evidence with over 200 statements.”

Conditional bail including a curfew from 10pm to 7am and a ban on consuming drink and drugs had been fixed by the High Court in March with a cash lodgment of €4,000.

However, the teenager is being held in custody in St Patrick’s Institution on foot of a High Court warrant pending an application to have his bail revoked next week. Last month, a second Dublin youth was brought to court in connection with the killings.

Sean Keogh, aged 19, from Vincent Street West, Inchicore, was charged at Dublin District Court with the murders of Mr Szwajkos and Mr Kalite. He was also charged with an arson attack on a motorbike.