Court hears how student was killed outside nightclub

An 18-year-old student died from brain damage after he was viciously kicked in the head by a gang of at least four youths outside a well-known Dublin hotel, a court has heard.

Brian Murphy was savagely attacked after an altercation occurred outside Club Annabell’s nightclub in the Burlington Hotel. He was punched and knocked to the ground and subsequently kicked in the head after he became isolated from a larger fight that had broken out.

He was rushed to St Vincent’s Hospital but in the ambulance on the way he suffered respiratory arrest and despite attempts to resuscitate him he died shortly after arriving at the hospital, the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was told.

Andrew Frame, (aged 22), from Nutley Lane, Donnybrook, Dermot Laide, (aged 22), from Rossvale, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, Sean Mackey, (aged 23), from South Park, Foxrock, and Desmond Ryan, (aged 22), from Cunningham Road, Dalkey, have all pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Murphy at Sussex Road on August 31, 2000.

They have also denied committing violence disorder by using or threatening to use unlawful violence on the same date.

In his opening address to the jury, Mr Edward Comyn SC (with Mr Brendan Grehan SC), prosecuting, described the case as a tragedy, not only for Mr Murphy, but for the four accused who are charged with his death.

He said: “Mr Murphy was a young adult starting into the life, a student, who died on August 31, 2000. It was certainly a tragedy but another tragedy surrounding his death was that four men with their lives ahead of them are brought here because the prosecution says they are responsible for his death.”

Mr Comyn said some 714 people were in attendance at Club Annabell’s which was hosting a promotion night for students and there would be evidence from a lot of young people during the course of the trial which he said was estimated to last between three and four weeks.

The jury would hear there was some disagreement between Mr Murphy and one of the accused, Mr Frame. It was unclear who started it but outside a scuffle developed, which grew into something far more serious involving a number of young people.

Mr Murphy got isolated from the larger group and was knocked to the ground and kicked in the head and body by a group of possibly six people but at least four. The fight only lasted a short time but Mr Murphy was rendered unconscious as a result.

He was taken by ambulance to St Vincent’s Hospital at approximately 3.30am but despite the best attempts of hospital staff to resuscitate him he died at 4.57am.

Mr Comyn said the State Pathologist, Professor John Harbison, later performed a post-mortem on the body and found his teeth damaged, as well as a cut to his upper lip and right eye socket and bruising to his legs and back.

He suffered a brain enlargement and died as a result of brain damage, inhalation of blood and multiple facial injuries, which were due to considerable violence being inflicted upon him.

Mr Comyn said: “It is the prosecution’s case that the four accused were part of a group which were attacking Brian Murphy when he was isolated and outnumbered. It was a short but intensive attack and done at a time when there was no justification and the fight had reached a stage where they should have stopped.”

Mr Comyn said it wasn’t the prosecution’s case that the youths intended to kill Mr Murphy or to cause him serious bodily harm but that they did intend to hurt him.

“We don’t say the attack was planned or premeditated but we do say that these four people decided to be part of the violence against him when they should have chosen not to do so.”

Mr Comyn concluded that in the course of the trial the jury would hear from over 100 witnesses and approximately 47 of those witnesses saw the incident take place outside the Burlington Hotel.

The trial continues before Judge Michael White and a jury of eight men and four women.