Suspects caught on cameras installed after double murder

THE suspects for the murder of teenager David Byrne were identified by CCTV cameras that were installed following the double murder of two Polish men in the same area three years ago, the Irish Examiner has learned.

Seven teenagers — aged 13 and 17 — were arrested on Wednesday, four of whom are believed to have been involved in the fatal stabbing of Mr Byrne in Inchicore, south Dublin, on Saturday night.

Mr Byrne, from Davitt House flats in neighbouring Drimnagh, was chased by four hooded youths over a footbridge beside the flats complex connecting Drimnagh to Inchicore and inflicted with four “severe” stab wounds to his back and kidney area.

The youths were captured on CCTV going over the bridge and coming back.

They were then captured on CCTV cameras a short distance away outside the Drimnagh Take Away on Benbulbin Road.

It was here gardaí were able to clearly identify the suspects as they were not covering their faces.

These cameras were set up in the wake of the savage murders of Pawel Kalite, 28, and Marius Szwajkos, 27, on Benbulbin Road by local teenagers in February 2008.

They died after their attacker drove a screwdriver through their heads after he and a gang of youths pursued Mr Kalite to his home on Benbulbin Road.

Local youth David Curran, then aged 17, was later convicted of murdering the two men. Seán Keogh, then 19, of Vincent Street West, Inchicore, was found guilty of serious assault.

They had been drinking and taking drugs all day with other teenagers who started a row with Mr Kalite outside the takeaway.

Gardaí were last night continuing to question six of the seven teenagers, after releasing one earlier in the day.

Four youths — aged between 16 and 17 — are being questioned on suspicion of murder, while the other two are being held on suspicion of withholding information in relation to murder.

The detention period for the four murder suspects is up today, by which time they will either have to be charged or released. The two others could be held for another day.

Garda sources said the murder was the result of a falling out among a group of “former friends and young fellas” who were dealing drugs.

It is believed, Mr Byrne owed €7,000 to the gang and had also lost 7kgs of cannabis, most likely in a garda seizure.