CCTV footage of an incident that caused the death of a journalist last year shows the man who killed him in celebration after his victim hit the ground.
The Circuit Criminal Court was yesterday shown footage of the death of Eugene Moloney (55) on Dublin's Camden Street on June 24th, 2012, in which Gary Burch (22), Kennington Close, Templeogue, stretches out his arms in celebration and shakes hands with another man when Mr Moloney falls.
A witness reported hearing Burch saying “Boom” as Mr Moloney collapsed, the court was told.
The trainee mechanic, who had taken part in "white collar" boxing a few months before the death, had pleaded guilty to the unlawful killing of Mr Moloney. His sentence hearing was yesterday. Mr Moloney had worked for over 20 years with Independent Newspapers and had been freelancing for the Irish Dail Mail when he died.
A postmortem found cause of death was traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage, bleeding between the brain and the skull. Mr Moloney, who was found to have modest alcohol levels in his blood, had been punched hard in the neck causing the haemorrhage.
He had been attending a party in the city centre. Det Insp Sean Campbell of Kevin Street Garda Station said evidence showed the party had been “very well behaved”.
Mr Moloney left the group and was walking to his home on Portobello Place when he met a group of young people standing on Camden Street.
The silent footage, from the Ulster Bank ATM on Camden Street and nearby Devitt’s Pub, showed Mr Moloney walking through the group, being addressed by one young man, then turning around and saying something to him. Burch is then seen coming up behind him and hitting him. Mr Moloney can be seen staggering a little before falling to the ground, while Burch celebrates.
Asked by gardaí the day after the incident why he was “dancing”, Burch replied he was “drunk and just being stupid”. He’d admitted to having had “10 bottles of Budweiser and a couple of shots”. He described the incident as “totally out of character and a moment of craziness”, the detective told the court.
Giving a victim impact statement, Sean Moloney spoke of how his brother had gone into the city that night leaving the lamps and music on in his home. Having to switch off his music after his death was “like blowing out his candle of life”.
“His death was both senseless and unnecessary in a society where random violence is sadly becoming the norm,” he said.
A victim impact statement was also read out on behalf of Mr Moloney’s sister, Róisín Moloney. Life was “without joy and fun and happiness” since his death, she said.
Character witness statements were handed in and Burch’s employer, Ronnie Moloney, managing director of TR Motors in Dublin, said his company would take him back “when he gets out”.
Burch took to the stand to read a letter to the family offering a “sincere apology”.
Judge Mary Ellen Ring adjourned the case for two weeks and remanded Burch in custody.
