A retired garda has told a murder trial of his “horror” at finding the naked and bloody body of a man who had been beaten to death on a Dublin street.
Niall Jones told prosecuting counsel Vincent Heneghan SC he was walking along North Street in Swords looking for a taxi at abour 2.50am. He saw, out of the corner of his eye, what he initially thought was an inflatable dummy at the top of a set of seven steps leading to the entrance to Swords Community College, he said.
Thinking it looked very lifelike he decided to take a closer look. “To my horror I saw a naked body lying down,” he said.
Mr Jones was giving evidence in the trial of Anthony Walsh (31) who has pleaded not guilty to the murder but guilty to the manslaughter of 54-year-old Dermot Byrne on July 16, 2017 at North St, Swords, Co Dublin.
Mr Walsh also pleaded guilty to stealing a bank card, keys and a Zippo lighter from Mr Byrne on the same date and location. He is on trial at the Central Criminal Court.
Mr Jones said he called emergency services and attempted resuscitation but when paramedic William Howard arrived he found no pulse and soon decided the man was dead.
The trial continues in front of Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of six men and six women.