Teenage boys to be tried for murder of 37-year-old man who died after serious assault

Boys also charged with robbing victim of his bank cards and a €300 gold ring

The late Alex Coughlan, who died after being attacked near his home in Blanchardstown.

Two teenage boys accused of attacking Alex Coughlan, who died after being severely injured in Blanchardstown, are to be tried for murder.

Mr Coughlan, 37, suffered serious injuries after he was assaulted on Mill Road at about 4.20pm on May 17 and was found unconscious.

He was brought to hospital in a critical condition, where he was pronounced dead on May 20. An autopsy has established Mr Coughlan suffered "traumatic" head and neck injuries.

Shortly after he died, gardaí charged two boys, aged 17 and 16, in connection with the incident.

The pair were originally accused of causing serious harm to Mr Coughlan under section 4 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

They were also charged with robbing him of his bank cards and a €300 gold ring.

Neither youth has indicated a plea.

The boys, who cannot be named because they are juveniles, remain in the Oberstown Children Detention Campus, having been refused bail earlier.

The case resumed before Judge Patricia Cronin at the Dublin Children's Court on Monday. They appeared separately: the younger boy by video link and the older teen in person.

An interpreter was requested but not required, Judge Cronin noted.

Garda Alan Kernan told the court the 17-year-old's assault causing harm charge was being withdrawn. It was superseded with a murder charge, and the boy "made no reply" when it was put to him on Monday morning.

The robbery charge is to remain.

He added the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has directed trial in the Central Criminal Court.

The boy was remanded in continuing custody pending the preparation of a book of evidence by prosecutors. He will appear again next week.

The 16-year-old co-accused then appeared remotely from the detention centre. Garda Shane Costello confirmed to defence solicitor Brian Keenan that the DPP had issued the same direction for that teenager, who is also to face trial on a murder charge. He was remanded in continuing custody to appear again later this week.

An earlier bail hearing was told Mr Coughlan had injuries to his neck area, scrapes to his knees and elbows, which corroborated he was on his knees pleading with his attacker, and he had "no defensive injuries".

Garda Sergeant Emma Ryan agreed it was a sustained assault, and footage was available. She described it as a small snippet which was taken from the 16-year-old boy's phone and "showed the deceased on his knees begging for his life".

He suffered severe bruising, and there was evidence of alleged suffocation and choking.

Garda Sergeant Ryan had said Mr Coughlan was walking down the road before the pair blocked him. The court heard the second teenager punched him, and he fell but tried to run, was pursued, and received kicks and punches.

It was alleged the older co-accused told him: "I will smash the fuck out of you, you fucking little bitch," and the 16-year-old demanded his gold ring.

A witness reported Mr Coughlan was on his knees "crying and pleading to the two males".

His AIB and Revolut cards were used in local shops minutes later, and the gold ring his father gave Mr Coughlan was taken and worn by the younger defendant, it was claimed.

The sergeant maintained the 16-year-old boy still had it on him at the time of his arrest on May 19.

The sergeant was concerned the teenager considered the deceased prey, and his number was saved on the co-accused youth's phone as "Prey 2".