A Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has sentenced two young men to prison for their involvement in a violent attack that led to the death of a Nigerian man, Quham Babatunde, in the Irish capital.
The presiding judge, Orla Crowe, on Tuesday handed Rory Carr, 22, and Bruno Tache, 21, jail terms of three years and six months each after both defendants admitted guilt to charges of violent disorder.
Reports indicated that the 34-year-old Nigerian was attacked following a series of fights that broke out at a nightclub before the violence spilled onto nearby streets. During the chaos, Babatunde was stabbed by another suspect.
According to BreakingNews.ie, the alleged stabber has since been charged with murder and is currently standing trial before a court in Northern Ireland.
The court heard that the disturbances began on South Anne Street and later spread to Duke Lane and Dawson Street, where several people were assaulted and sustained injuries, including bruises.
Prosecuting counsel, John Berry, had earlier informed the court that Babatunde died on the night of the incident but clarified that the fatal injury was not directly inflicted by either Carr or Tache.
Carr, who lives at Ard Na Greine on Seapoint Lane in Balbriggan, pleaded guilty to three separate counts of assault causing harm to Babatunde, Adetola Adetuilehim and another individual.
Evidence presented in court showed that Carr punched Babatunde about eight times on South Anne Street after the victim had already sustained the fatal wound.
The victim was reportedly still standing at the time but later collapsed.
Detective Superintendent Katharina Joyce also told the court that Tache kicked Babatunde in the head while he lay unresponsive on the ground.
Tache, a resident of Trimleston in Balbriggan, admitted to assaulting the deceased and another victim, in addition to pleading guilty to violent disorder.
In her judgment, Judge Crowe noted that although the two men participated in the violence, other individuals played more significant roles in causing the injuries that resulted in Babatunde’s death.
She stated that Carr had a prominent role in the fight, though not all of the punches he threw at the victim made contact.
The judge also observed that Tache was actively involved in the disturbances, having taken part in the violent incidents that occurred across the three locations.
