Security guard charged with pub murder

A 47-year-old security guard was today charged with the murder of a champion kickboxer in a south inner city pub two weeks ago.

Bernard Dempsey, from Golden Lane, Dublin 8, was arrested at 12.01pm in Kevin Street garda station.

At Kilmainham District Court Inspector Gabriel O’Gara said Dempsey had been arrested for the murder of James Curran, aged 42, in the Green Lizard pub on April 3.

He told the court that Dempsey replied ’not guilty’ to the charge. He applied to have Dempsey remanded in custody.

Judge John Coughlan granted the request and ordered Dempsey to appear at Cloverhill District Court on Friday, April 22. He granted Dempsey legal aid.

The 47-year-old had recently worked as a security guard in Dublin city centre.

He had been questioned at Kevin Street garda station under Section 30 of the Offences Against The State Act after being arrested in the south inner city last Saturday afternoon.

James Curran was shot in the head while he was drinking in the Green Lizard pub during a karaoke session. The 42-year-old champion kick-boxer was originally from the Francis Street area but had recently been living in Whitehall on Dublin’s northside with his partner and 13-year-old daughter.