Murder charges have been dropped against seven people who were on trial over the death of Dale Creighton in Dublin almost three years ago, after they pleaded guilty to lesser charges. Mr Creighton (20) died on New Year’s morning 2014, following an assault at the footbridge over the Tallaght bypass between St Dominic’s Road and Greenhills Road. The court heard that there had been an allegation that Mr Creighton had stolen a mobile phone.
He died in hospital the following day. the cause of his death was blunt force injury to his head and face. The murder charges were dropped on what would have been the 15th day of the trial of the six men and one woman, all in their 20s, at the Central Criminal Court.
The prosecution had been due to call its final witnesses on Tuesday morning, but, when the jury returned to court after the weekend, the prosecutor asked for each accused to be rearraigned.
Five of them pleaded guilty to manslaughter, one pleaded guilty to violent disorder and one pleaded guilty to possession of a knife. The pleas were all accepted by the State and the jury was discharged.
David Burke (28), Beechpark, Collinstown, Co Westmeath, pleaded not guilty to murder, but guilty to manslaughter, as did Graham Palmer (26), Park Avenue, Portarlington, Co Laois, Ross Callery (23), Gortlum Cottages, Brittas, Co Dublin, Gerard Stevens (27), Grosvenor Square, Rathmines, Dublin, and Jason Beresford (23), Coill Diarmuida, Ard a’ Laoi, Castledermot, Co Kildare.
Aisling Burke (23), Beechpark, Collinstown, Co Westmeath, pleaded guilty to violent disorder at the bridge that New Year’s Day. James Reid (26), Glen Aoibhinn, Gorey, Co Wexford, pleaded guilty to possession of a knife.
Each had initially pleaded not guilty to violent disorder at the footbridge. However, Beresford later changed his plea and pleaded guilty to that charge.
Seán Gillane SC, prosecuting, mentioned that all but David Burke had been on bail, but asked that each would now be remanded in custody. Brendan Grehan SC applied for bail on behalf of Aisling Burke, while Kieran O’Loughlin SC applied for bail on behalf of Reid.
Michael O’Higgins asked for seven more days of bail for Callery, so the new father could get his affairs in order. Michael Bowman SC requested seven days for his client, Stevens.
Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy granted Aisling Burke bail until sentencing and she remanded Stevens and Callery on bail until next Monday, as requested. She remanded the others in custody and directed probation reports for Palmer, Callery, Stevens, Beresford, Aisling Burke and David Burke. She also directed a victim impact report. She thanked the legal teams for their assistance in what she said was a difficult case.
“Even at this late stage, the court is pleased that these young people have all acknowledged their involvement,” she said, offering her condolences to Mr Creighton’s family. They will be sentenced in December.