A BROTHER of a man who died six months after a violent assault in Dublin city centre yesterday criticised the fact that although perpetrators of the attack were identified by an eyewitness, they can “still walk the streets”.
Anthony Byrne (37), originally of Kilworth Road, Drimnagh, Dublin, died at St James’s Hospital on July 9th, 2007, six months after he was viciously assaulted in the Mercer Street area on January 18th, 2007, an inquest heard yesterday.
Mr Byrne was leaving the Mercer House Flats with his girlfriend, Rebecca Hoban, and became involved in a fight with an individual during which he was hit on the head with a beer bottle, after a number of people gathered in the stairwell began insulting her.
The couple, who had been visiting Ms Hoban’s mother, left, but were pursued by the group of at least three individuals who attacked Mr Byrne with a saw and a stick and then kicked him in the head and body as he lay on the ground.
Mr Byrne suffered diffuse traumatic brain injury as a result of the assaults, which could not be treated, and spent six months in a persistent vegetative state before his death from pneumonia and kidney disease, which were complications of his brain injury, State Pathologist Prof Marie Cassidy told the inquest at Dublin City Coroner’s Court yesterday.
A jury of five women and two men returned a verdict of death by unlawful killing.
Ms Hoban, who died in an unrelated domestic incident last December, was interviewed by gardaí following the incident and named four individuals, two of whom were subsequently charged with manslaughter.
The DPP directed charges be dropped against the two individuals after Ms Hoban changed her statement in relation to one of them. “She was 100 per cent in relation to one individual and she stood by what she said, but in relation to the other individual she varied her statement,” Sgt Brian McGlynn told the court. She was not 100 per cent sure in relation to the second individual, the inquest heard.
Speaking from the body of the court, Mr Byrne’s brother William said Ms Hoban, who was in the Dochas Centre at the time she changed her statement and was being assessed for the witness protection scheme, was threatened and that was why she changed it.
“Four people she [Rebecca Hoban] knew assaulted my brother. When someone can point out who did it, we want to know why the DPP for two years has disregarded what Rebecca Hoban said. How can these guys still walk the streets?” said Mr Byrne.
“It’s not really fair on us. We know what happened. The dogs on the street know what happened, but nothing’s been done,” he said.
Coroner Dr Brian Farrell expressed his condolences to the Byrne family, including his mother Mary and brothers William and Derek, who were in court.
“All I can do is to recognise the violent crime that was perpetrated against Anthony,” he said.