Dubliner denies killing taxi driver in ‘one punch case’
William Keegan, 27, of Pearse House, has pleaded not guilty to the unlawful killing of 41-year-old Moses Ayanwole in Dublin on Nov 23, 2011.
In his opening address to the jury, prosecution counsel Maurice Coffey said this is what legal practitioners call a “one punch case” and it was a “tragic” assault manslaughter case.
Mr Coffey told the jury there will be evidence that Mr Keegan punched Mr Ayanwole once after a minor dispute on Pearse St, which caused him to fall and hit the back of his head on the pavement.
He said Mr Ayanwole lost consciousness and was brought to hospital, where he died two days later.
Counsel read out a statement from an eye witness, Edward Bradley, who said he had been outside the Padraig Pearse pub when he saw the accused hit Mr Ayanwole.
This witness told gardaí he’d heard the two men shouting and heard the slap from the impact, but didn’t see the taxi driver fall on the ground.
This witness said he saw Mr Keegan then run off in the direction of his home.
Another witness, Thomas Gannon, told Mr Coffey he had been standing at the pub’s side door when he met the accused, who appeared nervous and upset. He said Mr Keegan told him he either punched or pushed a taxi man.
Former deputy state pathologist, Dr Khalid Jaber, told Mr Coffey the cause of death was serious, significant brain damage.
