A man who died from stab wounds in hospital after a late night disturbance at his Dublin home has been named locally as James ‘Jake’ Berney, a father and grandfather in his 50s.
A number of people in the Foxdene area of Balgaddy, Co Dublin, have told gardaí they heard shouting inside the house late on Wednesday night, with the alarm raised and the emergency services arriving at the property.
Mr Berney survived the initial aftermath of the attack and was treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken by ambulance to Tallaght University Hospital. However, efforts to save him were not successful and he was pronounced dead.
He is believed to have been stabbed several times at his home on Foxdene Drive, which he shared with his father, who was in his 80s. While the dead man had children and grandchildren, it appears only he and his father lived at the property.
Middle East in maps: Key territories in the current conflict
What’s stopping us converting Dublin’s O’Connell St into a residential neighbourhood?
Ireland backs €150bn defence plan as EU moves to rearm
Michael Gaine murder: Ex-partner of suspect Michael Kelley says he became ‘very unstable’ after 9/11 attacks
Mr Berney was said to have been a well-known figure locally and earned an income from house painting and doing some odd jobs for people in the area. Gardaí believe callers frequently arrived at the house to see Mr Berney, some of whom appear to let themselves in.
Detectives suspect a person known to the dead man, and who often called at the property, fatally stabbed him during a row shortly before 11pm on Wednesday.
The house was sealed off as a crime scene when gardaí arrived and remained secured overnight into Thursday morning. It underwent an extensive examination by members of the Garda Technical Bureau throughout Thursday in the hope forensic evidence from the scene would link the killer to the fatal stabbing.
“This investigation is being led by a senior investigating officer at Lucan Garda station,” the Garda said in a statement. “Gardaí are appealing to anyone who was in the vicinity of Foxdene Drive between 11pm and 12am and observed any activity which drew their attention to come forward.”
Gardaí are also keen to speak to any motorists who were driving in the area, and had recording dashcam. Gardaí are urging them to contact Lucan Garda station and make the footage available.
A postmortem on the remains of the victim was being carried by the State Pathologists Office on Thursday. All the resources of a homicide inquiry were committed to the case immediately, but the extent of the victim’s injuries were already understood.
