Two men jailed over Christmas attack on barber

Two men charged with violent disorder following the death of a 29-year-old father of one at Christmas five years ago were yesterday jailed for three years, with part of the sentences were suspended.

Sean Dyas, aged 24, of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, and Roy Traynor, aged 23, of Beechwood Drive, Marley’s Lane, Drogheda, both pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Rowan Heights, Marley’s Lane, on Dec 25-26 in 2007. Darren McKeown, a barber from Donore, Co Meath, died in Beaumont Hospital on Dec 29, having never regained consciousness.

Judge Ray Fulham said the case arose out of events on those dates, on which there had been a series of parties. In the course of the parties, “a sequence of assaults took place on Mr McKeown” in which several people were involved.

Mr McKeown suffered significant blows to the body and head, and fell to the ground and hit his head which, the judge said, may have been the ultimate cause of death.

The attacks took place at a house in the estate and appeared to have been triggered by two incidents — firstly, an alleged assault on the mother of a teen also charged with violent disorder and, secondly, an alleged rape.

Gardaí said they did not believe the rape allegation.

The court heard Traynor “kicked the victim in the head as he lay on the ground” and Dyas “punched him twice — in the jaw and in the chest”.

It also appeared Dyas “was in the process of ramming a children’s bicycle into the victim”, but was stopped by another man, who had pulled both accused away from the victim, the judge noted.

However, the court also heard Dyas rang an ambulance for Mr McKeown, while Traynor regretted his participation.

Both pleaded guilty and saved the State a lengthy, complex trial, the court was told. It was further suggested both men were minor players compared to a co-accused, who had been dealt with at the Central Criminal Court.

Judge Fulham jailed both for three years, suspending the final 18 months of Traynor’s sentence and the final 21 months for Dyas, on the condition they enter good behaviour bonds.

Two other people had been on trial at the Central Criminal Court charged with the murder of Mr McKeown, but the State’s case against them had collapsed when the trial judge ruled that there was insufficient evidence to convict them of homicide. They are serving sentences for violent disorder.