Man died after attack outside GAA club, inquest told

A mother of a young man who died after he was assaulted by a group outside a GAA club today branded the whole incident a disgrace.

Peter Joyce, 22, from Kilcarrig Crescent in Dublin’s Tallaght died on April 13, 2002 after he was beaten-up by a large group after a 21st birthday party in the Naomh Mearnog GAA Club in Portmarnock, an inquest heard today.

The Dublin City Coroner’s Court heard that Mr Joyce had attended the birthday party with his girlfriend, Yvette Reid, and at around 2am after it finished he sat into a car, believing she knew the owner and they were getting a lift to a house party.

Det Sgt Gerry Feeney of Malahide Garda station said a melee followed involving several people.

He said there was an altercation between the driver, other people and the deceased, who received a number of blows, collapsed and died several hours later in Dublin’s Beaumont Hospital.

Det Sgt Feeney told the court that Mr Joyce had stepped from the car but the problems appeared to have been caused by his girlfriend.

The court heard that Mr Joyce’s girlfriend Ms Reid was later charged with road traffic offences and fined in relation to the incident.

His mother Mary told the Dublin City Coroner’s Court that no-one had been brought to justice for the assault.

Det Sgt Feeney said two people had been charged with manslaughter and assault - the car owner, Jonathan Dignam, of Limekiln Lane, Balgriffin, Co Dublin and Glen Carroll of 20 Strandmill Avenue in Portmarock.

The court heard they were both acquitted of manslaughter and Mr Carroll was found guilty of assault and given a two-year jail sentence, with the final year suspended.

“We could never say how many people were involved and how many blows were struck,” Det Sgt Feeney said.

“He (Mr Joyce) was certainly on his own.”

His mother Mary told the court: “Peter was a fun loving person who always looked after his family.

“The way the incident happened at the end of the night was a disgrace.”

After the inquest the family said: “There were 250 people at the party and someone has to come forward. Someone in that 250 people has to know what happened and has it weighing on their conscience.”

The Joyce family said they were bringing Peter’s case back to the Director of Public Prosecutions to look for justice for the 22-year-old.

Prof John Harbison, the former State Pathologist, told the inquest that Mr Joyce had died from bleeding around the brain after a blow to the left side of the neck.

The court heard a toxicology report showed Mr Joyce had been taking methadone.

But the detective sergeant told the court Mr Joyce had been making an effort to get off drugs.

The inquest heard that Prof Harbison found no evidence that Mr Joyce was an intravenous drug user.

Mrs Joyce said there had been attempts made to try and use the drugs issue against Mr Joyce during the criminal trial.

She told the court: “They assassinated his character during the trial.”

The 11-member jury passed a verdict of unlawful killing by person or persons unknown.