Two men and teen charged with murder

TWO men and a 17-year-old boy have been charged with the murder of a Polish national who died after he was attacked in Coolock in Dublin last October.

Lukasz Rzeszutko, aged 27, who had been on his way to work at a fish processing plant, was attacked at the Newtown Industrial Estate, in Coolock, in the early hours of October 2 last.

He was found on a road at about 5am with serious head injuries and died two days later at Beaumont Hospital.

Martin Morgan, aged 20, of Tonlegee Road, in Raheny, and Edward Byrne, aged 20, from Coolock, but who had an address at a YMCA hostel in Dublin 8, had been charged earlier with assault causing harm to Mr Rzeszutko.

However, at the Dublin District Court yesterday, the charges were upgraded to murder.

Detective Garda Niall Gibbs told Judge Denis McLoughlin that Byrne, who was wearing a black tracksuit, was arrested yesterday morning.

The court heard that in reply to caution, Byrne referred to a juvenile co-defendant, who cannot be named because he is a minor, as “a dirty smelly rat”, and said “I am going to burn his gaff down, dirty smelly rat, I am going to make a phone call tonight wait ‘till you see, I am going to get his gaff burned”.

Detective Sergeant David Carroll told the court that Morgan, who was dressed in a grey and blue hooded top and tracksuit bottoms, was also arrested yesterday morning and made no reply to caution.

Judge McLoughlin remanded the pair, who remained silent during the case, in custody for one week. He also acceded to a request from defence solicitor Orla Farrell to grant them legal aid.

A few minutes later, at the Dublin Children’s Court, in Smithfield, the 17-year-old co-accused appeared before Judge Clare Leonard.

Dressed in a red and navy tracksuit and accompanied to his case by his parents, he remained silent as evidence was given.

Garda Brian Healy said that the north Dublin teenager was charged at Coolock Garda Station at 10.17am yesterday with murder.

The boy made no reply after caution, Judge Leonard was told.

The teenager, whose mother was in tears, was remanded in custody to appear again on a date next week pending the preparation of the book of evidence in the case.

Judge Leonard also agreed to request by defence solicitor Mathew Kenny for legal aid to be granted.