Jury told Romanian national died after suffering ‘blunt force trauma’

A construction worker was found “in physical distress” by passersby in a Dublin suburban park after being seriously assaulted and sustaining “extensive blunt force trauma”, a murder trial jury is to hear.

A 40-year-old man has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court on Thursday accused of the murder of Romanian national Ioan Artene Bob.

Feri Anghel, of no fixed abode, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Bob (49) at a location in Co Dublin on April 13th, 2018.

Opening the prosecution’s case today, Paul Greene SC said the court will hear evidence about gardaí from Tallaght first becoming aware of the matter in the early hours of April 13th, 2018.

Outlining the facts of the case, Mr Greene said that a number of locals were in Sean Walsh Park in Tallaght, which is near to Tallaght Stadium and The Squareshopping centre in the early morning of April 13th.

The court heard that two walkers “came upon a person” who was physically in distress. These individuals had some interaction with this person and the alarm was raised, said Mr Greene.

The person turned out to be Mr Bob, said Mr Greene, and a Garda investigation commenced concerning “a suspected serious assault” on him. Medical personnel came to the scene and attended to him.

Mr Greene said that Mr Bob, who was in significant distress, was dealt with “in an emergency fashion” and was brought to hospital by ambulance, where he died later that day.

The prosecution barrister went on to tell the court that Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margot Bolster found that Mr Bob had suffered extensive blunt force trauma and bruising to many parts of his body including his scalp, neck and thyroid cartilage. His ribs were fractured and he had internal lacerations, he added.

Suffered severe injuries

Mr Greene said that Mr Bob had suffered severe injuries, which resulted in his death “within the context of a cardiac arrest”.

The barrister said the jury would hear evidence that Mr Bob, who worked in the construction trade, was just short of his 50th birthday, when he died.

“The investigation discovered that he was a Romanian national, who was working in this country as an immigrant having worked elsewhere. He was remitting money to his family,” he said.

There will be evidence, Mr Greene said, that Mr Bob had a social and residential life around the city centre, particularly in the Dublin 1 area. People will give evidence of his movements on the previous day, April 12th and his contacts with people in and around the city centre area, where he was staying in “transient accommodation”, he said.

Counsel also indicated to the jury that the accused, Mr Anghel, and Mr Bob were in each other’s company on April 12th. “You will hear evidence of the movements of the accused man and Mr Bob,” he added.

Detailing the evidence that will be heard, Mr Greene said that both men had travelled together on public transport to the Tallaght area and there were various interactions between them.

In relation to the evidence against the accused, the lawyer said the jury may hear evidence from witnesses as to conversations held between Mr Anghel and others on the days after the incident “in terms of his work”. The accused worked with a cleaning company which served many parts of the city, he indicated.

The court heard further evidence will be about Mr Bob’s connection with an arcade, where he had “some luck”.

When gardaí reviewed material in connection with the harvesting of CCTV footage, Mr Anghel was someone they wanted to speak to in connection with the matter, said counsel. “You will hear evidence of his transactions with gardaí whom he was in contact with,” he noted.

He said the court will also hear about the movements of Mr Bob and the use of his AIB banklink card by the accused over the course of the day.

Mr Greene said that the State will contend that Mr Anghel was the person responsible for the deceased’s injuries on April 13th.

The trial continues this afternoon before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of eight men and four women. It is expected to last five weeks.