Deliveroo rider to go on trial accused of murdering Josh Dunne (16)

A Deliveroo rider will go on trial on Thursday accused of murdering schoolboy Josh Dunne in Dublin last year.

George Gonzaga Bento (36), a Brazilian national, with an address in East Wall in Dublin 3 is charged with murdering the 16-year-old at East Wall Road, East Wall on January 26th, 2021.

Mr Bento also faces three other charges in relation to the same incident.

He is also accused of producing an article in a manner likely to intimidate another in the course of a dispute or fight, namely a utility knife.

The defendant is further accused of assault causing harm to two other young men on the same occasion.

The delivery cyclist was arraigned before the Central Criminal Court this afternoon and pleaded not guilty when each of the four counts were put to him.

Dressed in a pink shirt, grey waistcoat and dark trousers, Mr Bento listened to the proceedings with the assistance of an interpreter.

Addressing the jury panel, Mr Justice Paul Burns said the case concerned matters that occurred in or around East Wall Road on January 26th, 2021.

The accused was a Deliveroo delivery person and resided in the East Wall area at the time, said the judge. “He would have made deliveries in that area and perhaps other parts of the city,” he added.

A jury of five men and seven women was sworn in to hear the trial, which is due to begin tomorrow before Mr Justice Burns and is expected to last between three and four weeks.