A Canadian tourist who was brutally assaulted in Dublin city centre during the summer died from catastrophic head injuries, an inquest has heard.
Neno Dolmajian, 41, from Laval, Quebec, Canada sustained fatal injuries when he was attacked at around 12.40am on O’Connell Street Upper on 23 June.
He was pronounced dead nine days later on 2 July at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital where he had been rushed by ambulance following the violent incident.
The victim’s father and sister had travelled from Canada to be at his bedside.
At a sitting of Dublin District Coroner’s Court on Tuesday, Mr Dolmajian’s sister, Maral, gave evidence via videolink from Canada of being informed that her brother, who was visiting Dublin as a tourist, had been assaulted in the city centre on 23 June.
Ms Dolmajian said he had been staying in Dublin for a few days as part of a larger trip.
She told the inquest that she made immediate arrangements to travel to Dublin from Montreal when her family was notified about the assault on her brother.
Ms Dolmajian said they visited him every day in the intensive care unit in the Mater hospital until he passed away.
The coroner, Aisling Gannon, said the result of a postmortem examination showed Mr Dolmajian had attributed the cause of death as catastrophic brain injuries from a trauma on 23 June.
Detective Inspector Ken Hoare told the hearing that he was the investigating officer overseeing an incident of a serious assault on the deceased on O’Connell Street.
Det Insp Hoare applied for an adjournment of the inquest on the basis that some people had already been charged and had appeared before the courts in relation to the fatal incident.
He told the coroner that gardaí would probably be aware within six months whether there will be a related criminal trial or not.
In reply to questions from Ms Gannon, Det Insp Hoare said the DPP had determined that there should be a prosecution and gardaí were awaiting a hearing date.
Expressing her sympathy to Mr Dolmajian’s family, the coroner granted the application and adjourned the hearing for mention to 11 June 2025.
Following the attack on Mr Dolmajian, four males were arrested as part of a garda investigation with two suspects later brought before a sitting of Dublin District Court.
Ionut Danca, 24,of Rathdown Square, North Circular Road, Dublin 7 was originally charged with assault causing harm to Mr Dolmajian, although the case was upgraded to murder last month.
Detective Sergeant Eoghan Byrne gave evidence at a court sitting in June that Mr Danca was allegedly with a group at Cathal Brugha St when the injured party approached and engaged in conversation.
It was claimed that a member of the group struck the victim before they moved on to O’Connell St where there was another interaction with Mr Dolmajian.
The court heard some of the group “became hostile” while others tried to intervene.
Det Sgt Byrne said Mr Dolmajian was walking towards the Liffey quays when he suffered a full-force blow to the face before receiving “a running kick” after being knocked to the ground.
The court heard that CCTV footage had been obtained and it was alleged that the accused’s actions caused the injuries to the tourist.
Evidence was also heard that Mr Danca had left the jurisdiction after becoming aware that gardaí were looking for him but that he returned voluntarily after two days.
Mr Danca, who was granted bail by the High Court, was ordered to appear before Dublin District Court again in January for service of the book of evidence and for a return-for-trial order to be granted.
Another man, 23-year-old Madalin Ghiuzan of Summerhill Parade, Dublin 1 is accused of two counts of assault causing harm at Cathal Brugha St and O’Connell St in the early hours of 23 June.
The court heard he made no reply when charged.
Judge Paul Kelly denied bail to the accused after hearing garda objections due to the seriousness of the alleged offences and flight risk concerns.
