Two boys, 17, to face murder trial

Two youths charged with murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 26-year-old man in north Dublin last year, were today returned for trial to the Central Criminal Court.

James Donaghue, from Coolock, in Dublin died after a row broke out outside his grandmother’s home where he had been attending a birthday party.

Two 17-year-old boys, who cannot be identified because they are juveniles, and Brian Joyce also known as Bernard Christopher Joyce, aged 20, with an address at Carton Road, Poppintree, in Ballymun, in Dublin, had earlier been charged at the Dublin Children’s Court with the murder of James Donaghue, at Dane Road, in Ballymun, on September 10, last year.

All three were served with books of evidence in the case at the Children’s Court today.

In relation to the two teenagers, one of whom did not apply for bail, Judge Ann Ryan ordered their return for trial to the present term of the Central Criminal Court.

She assigned legal aid for junior and senior counsel representation and told them that if they intended to rely on alibi evidence they must notify the State within two weeks.

The third defendant was remanded on bail to appear again next week when an order returning him for trial to the Central Criminal Court is to be made.