Tattoo artist found guilty of murdering chef Ian Baitson with sword in Cobh car park
Dylan Scannell (pictured) had denied murder but had admitted manslaughter. File picture: Dan Linehan
A tattoo artist has been found guilty of murdering 33-year-old chef Ian Baitson in Cobh by slashing his leg with a sword.
The accused said he only wanted to scare the deceased, but the prosecution said this was a cock and bull story.
The six men and six women of the jury at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork returned to Courtroom 6 at the Anglesea Street Courthouse at 3.23pm on Friday with a unanimous verdict of guilty.
They deliberated for four hours and five minutes. Members of the deceased’s family quietly wept and embraced after the verdict was delivered.
Ms Justice Eileen Creedon thanked the jury, excused them from further jury service for five years and said she understood how difficult such cases are.
Dylan Scannell, aged 31, of O’Rahilly Street, Cobh, County Cork, denied murdering 33-year-old chef, Ian Baitson, in Eurospar car park on Newtown Road, Cobh, on March 19 2024 but admitted his manslaughter.
Sentencing will take place at a Cork sitting of the Central Criminal Court on July 11. While the only sentence for murder is the mandatory life term, the sentencing hearing will provide an opportunity for the Baitson family to describe the impact his murder has had on them.
While sentencing might have taken place in Dublin, Ms Justice Creedon said she was keen to have sentencing in Cork and realised that there was a large family of the deceased who would wish to be present. Up to 20 or so members of the wider Baitson family attended court every day throughout this trial.
In murder trials, it is not unusual for the accused to give no evidence, but yesterday, Dylan Scannell took the witness stand and said he was sorry for killing Ian Baitson — a man he described as a friend since their teenage years — but claimed his only intention was to scare him, not to cause harm.
The prosecution said he was lying and that he had almost amputated the deceased’s left leg, even cutting through bone with the sword.
During their deliberations today the jury asked to see the sword which was an exhibit in the case. Dylan Scannell drove to the outskirts of Cobh at Connolly Street and threw the sword into the harbour after slashing Mr Baitson with it. Gardaí recovered it in an extensive follow-up search.
In his closing speech, Donal O’Sullivan, senior counsel for the DPP, said of the accused: “He lies and he lies repeatedly. And his lies are targeted. His lies are aimed at the things that might put him in the frame. What does that indicate to you?
“People can lie for any reason. But often they lie because they know full well what they have done. Now that he realises, he tells you a cock and bull story – entirely contradicted by the WhatsApp messages (between defendant and deceased).
“He is trying to pull the wool over your eyes. It is plain as day that the man went up to harm and harm badly Ian Baitson. That is effectively what he did. You are quite entitled to return a verdict of guilty of murder in those circumstances.”
Defence senior counsel Tom Creed said in his closing speech, “The case is about intent. And that really is the only issue that you have to contend with because Mr Scannell has admitted to the unlawful killing of Ian Baitson.
“Notwithstanding that Dylan Scannell has pleaded guilty to unlawful killing of Ian Baitson there remains a presumption that he is innocent of the charge of murder.
“You have to decide what is the intent at the time of the unlawful killing, not two days before, not two days later.
“Even the prosecution don’t tell you forcibly that his intention was to kill Mr Baitson. They want you to believe he went there and intended to cause serious injury. That is sufficient to ground a charge of murder. But what you need to do is look into the mind of Mr Scannell on the evening in question.”
Mr Creed reminded the jury of Mr Scannell’s evidence that he intended to frighten the deceased and did not hit him in the head or neck but hit him about the leg. He also reminded them of the defendant’s evidence that he was under pressure from others to collect on the debt he (the defendant) owed to them.
“Why would he kill him if he wanted to collect the money from him? It does not make any logical sense,” Mr Creed said.
Mr O’Sullivan addressed the same matter in different terms when he cross-examined Dylan Scannell: “The first thing you did was not to put your hand out and say, ‘Ian, where is the money?’ The first thing you do is to take a swipe at him with a sword.”
Dylan Scannell replied, “Yes.”
The DPP Senior Counsel noted that after Mr Baitson had been killed, the €185 in cash he had brought with him to the Eurospar car park — around the corner from his home on March 19, 2024 — remained untouched in his pocket.
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