Man accused of Frankie Dunne's murder joked after dismembered body was found, Cork trial told

The court heard Christmas was a difficult time of year for Frankie Dunne because his father died on Christmas Eve, when he was only a child

The court also heard that Ionut Cosmin Nichoclescu (pictured) told a work colleague days after Mr Dunne's body was found: “If anyone asks for me don’t tell them anything. It doesn’t matter. Tomorrow I’ll be gone.” File picture: Cork Courts Limited

WARNING: Readers may find the following article upsetting

The man on trial for murder in Cork joked days after the discovery of a dismembered body by a man searching for a missing cat, saying: “Imagine… if the cat ripped off the head,” the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork heard on Thursday. 

This conversation was recalled by a student who worked part-time at the premises where the accused man was employed as a chef.

Ionut Cosmin Nicholescu, 30, with an address at Branistea Village, Damovita County, Romania is on trial charged with the murder of Francis (Frankie) Dunne between Friday, December 27, and Saturday, December 28, 2019, at Castlegreine House, Boreenamanna Road, Cork.

The conversation described by student and co-worker, Lauryn Walsh, occurred on Sunday morning December 29, 2019, at tables in the smoking area of the Silver Key pub in Cork, where the defendant was employed and known by his Christian name Ionut or as Johnny.

Ms Walsh said she and Johnny and anther member of staff were outside at tables, as were a couple of regular customers. She recalled that Johnny was ignoring the conversation and staring into space but that he paid attention to the conversation when it turned to news of the discovery of a body.

Ms Walsh said that a lady called Jean and an elderly regular customer, whom she only knew as ‘black coffee man’, were talking about the news. She said: “Johnny got up and went up to where black coffee man and Jean were sitting and said, ‘I just want to listen’.” 

Reference was made in the conversation to a dismembered body being discovered by a man searching for his missing cat. “Johnny said, ‘Imagine if kitty was playing with the head or if the cat ripped off the head.’ I thought this was inappropriate but typical of Johnny,” Ms Walsh testified.

Frankie Dunne's decapitated and dismembered body was found in a garden. File picture

Restaurant manager, Petar Lucic, recalled that the accused was a hard worker who did not smoke or drink.

Bar manager Ross Campion recalled a conversation with the accused that Sunday when he said: “If anyone asks for me don’t tell them anything. It doesn’t matter. Tomorrow I’ll be gone.” And Mr Campion said the defendant repeated this.

The deceased man’s nephew, John Martin, said his uncle got on very well in the supported accommodation at Clanmornin House. “He would stay in my house once a week. I collected him every Tuesday and would bring him back on the Wednesday. We used to play traditional music. He used to love that,” Mr Martin said.

He also said his uncle, the late Frankie Dunne, came to the family for Christmas dinner that Christmas. But he said it was a difficult time of year for him because his father died on Christmas Eve, when he was only a child.

Pathologist evidence

Earlier today, the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork heard that the 64-year-old man whose remains were found in a garden on Boreenmanna Road was decapitated and dismembered after his death.

The pathologist, Dr Heidi Okkers, told the murder trial today of her findings to Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of eight women and four men.

“After his death the dismemberment of arms and the decapitation of the head took place. There was no vital reaction at the amputation sites,” Dr Okkers testified.

In relation to the concept of vital reaction, prosecution senior counsel Ray Boland clarified: “Blood was not flowing when the head was cut off, basically.” Dr Okkers replied: “Yes, it was post-mortem.” Similarly, the deceased’s arms were amputated after his death.

From examination of the remains it was established that there were a few incisions prior to the actual cuts, and that this was the case in relation to the head and both arms. Mr Boland said: “Attempts to cut were made prior to the real cut.” 

Pathologist Dr Heidi Okkers (right) told the court today: “After his death the dismemberment of arms and the decapitation of the head took place." Picture: Larry Cummins

As for the cause of death, Dr Okkers concluded: “Neck compression associated with blunt trauma to the head – blunt force injuries to the head and face, they were all assault-type injuries.

“Injuries to the head most likely caused concussion. There was bruising and haemorrhage in the muscles of the neck in keeping with compression of the neck resulting in asphyxia.” 

Mr Boland asked: “Would you be in a position to say whether the injuries to the head occurred before or after the neck compression?” The pathologist replied: “They (the injuries) are all of a similar age. Defensive injuries possibly suggest he was struck with a blunt object and then there was neck compression.” 

Broken glass was found in a heavily bloodstained John Rocha jacket which was with clothing in a refuse sack in the garden on Boreenmanna Road close to where the naked dismembered body was found.

Cross-examining, prosecution senior counsel Philipp Rahn said that from the pathologist’s evidence there appeared to be 16 specific injures – including bruises, abrasions and lacerations — to the head and neck, including a skull fracture, three injuries to the chest and abdomen, four to the back, further injuries to the arms.

Mr Rahn asked the pathologist if it was possible, given the extent of injuries, that they were inflicted by two people. Dr Okkers said it was possible that one person inflicted all the injuries, but it was also possible that two people inflicted them.

Dr Okkers said the deceased had a 330mgs reading for alcohol in his blood which she put in the context of the legal limit for driving of 50mgs of alcohol per 100mls of blood. She said that while this would be very high it would not be unusual to find such a reading with an alcoholic.

The trial continues on Monday, March 20, of Ionut Cosmin Nicholescu, 30, with an address at Branistea Village, Damovita County, Romania, who pleaded not guilty to the single count of murder. 

The defendant is on trial charged with the murder of Francis (Frankie) Dunne. The count states that on a date unknown between December 27 and December 28, 2019, he murdered Francis Dunne at Castlegreine House, Boreenamanna Road, Cork, contrary to Common Law.