Murdered man may have rowed with criminals

Gardaí are making progress in identifying suspects for the fatal stabbing of Shane O’Connor in north Dublin.

Detectives have been talking to friends who were with the 22-year-old on Sunday night as part of efforts to determine who he might have rowed with.

The young man was stabbed in the chest before collapsing outside his home in the early hours of Monday on St Donagh’s Rd, Donaghmede.

His body was not spotted until 7am by a passerby. At the scene, paramedics tried to resuscitate him, but he was pronounced dead at Beaumont Hospital a short time later. It is thought his parents, Mark and Sinéad, and his two sisters, were in the house at the time of the attack, but heard nothing.

Gardaí are trying to determine Mr O’Connor’s movements between 3am and 7am. There are reports he had been with friends in a number of pubs.

Mr O’Connor had been out of jail on temporary release since September. He was serving a 16-month term for assaulting his girlfriend twice.

Last November, a court heard how the couple got into a row at a Dublin hotel in Dec 2009. Mr O’Connor was accused of throwing a bottle at Sabrina Hayes, injuring her. She reported the incident after he hit her with another bottle in Oct 2010.

It is understood the pair may have been out together at the weekend. Mr O’Connor has a young son from a previous relationship.

Detectives are examining if he had a row with local criminals.