Jury hears boy tried to save friend from blaze

The jury in a manslaughter trial has heard how a boy who escaped a fire at a makeshift den tried to rescue his friend.

Daryl Hall, now aged 26, said he remembers the day of the fatal fire 13 years ago as if it was yesterday.

Dermot Griffin, aged 54, of Ballyfermot Rd, Ballyfermot has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the manslaughter of 12-year-old Stephen Hughes at Rossfield Avenue, Tallaght, on September 1, 2001.

Mr Hall told Mary Rose Gearty SC, prosecuting, that he was 14 at the time and had begun building a makeshift den between some houses on Rossfield Avenue. He said all the children from the estate became involved and the den was built using wooden pallets, plywood sheets, old doors and carpets to act as walls.

He said they had a carpet floor, a table and chairs, a foam mattress and a sofa seat from a bus. “We made it into a little home. I could draw you a picture of it now,” he said.

He told the court that, on the night of the fatal fire, he and Stephen Hughes and other children had met up at the hut. He said it was after dark but they lit candles and had a torch.

By 2am, Stephen and the witness were the only ones left in the hut and Mr Hall said he remembers seeing his friend eat a jelly sweet before they fell sleep.

He said he was woken by screams. “I heard screaming and hands pushing on my back,” said Mr Hall. I remember hearing ‘go go’, and ‘aagh’.”

Mr Hall said he could see nothing except smoke. He said he pushed aside a pallet that was in place as a wall and pulled himself through and up onto an outside wall.

“I thought he was behind me,” he said. “When I got on the wall, standing on the wall, I jumped back down. I tried to lift up the door, I heard him coughing.”

Mr Hall told the court he was unable to lift the hut open again and he got back up on the wall and started screaming for help.

He said people came over, including Mr Griffin. Mr Hall said the accused asked: “Was there someone in there?” and he then put his hands on his head.

Earlier, Judge Patricia Ryan told the jury not to let emotion or published photographs influence their view of the facts.

The trial is set to last up to three weeks.