Gardaí have submitted a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) over the death of a Canadian tourist who died after being injured on Dublin’s O’Connell Street in June.
On Tuesday, Judge Alan Mitchell adjourned Ionut Danca’s case for another two weeks for a decision on whether he is to face an additional charge over the alleged assault on Neno Dolmajian on June 23rd.
Judge Mitchell was given confirmation at Cloverhill District Court that gardaí had completed and submitted an investigation file to the DPP.
Mr Danca (24), a Romanian construction worker with an address at Rathdown Square, North Circular Road, Dublin 7, was remanded in continuing custody.
He has been accused of assault causing harm to Mr Dolmajian but could face a “more serious charge”.
He had been denied bail on June 28th at Dublin District Court.
Mr Dolmajian, who was from Montreal, single and in his 40s, was brought to the Mater Hospital “unresponsive”, never regained consciousness and he died on July 2nd.
Judge Mitchell has noted the change of circumstances since the first court hearing and that the injured party had since died.
The accused has also deferred a High Court bail application.
At his earlier District Court bail hearing, Detective Sergeant Eoghan Byrne said the accused was allegedly with a group at Cathal Brugha Street when the injured party approached and engaged in conversation.
It was claimed a member of the group struck him, and they moved on to O’Connell Street, where there was another interaction with the injured party.
Some “became hostile”, while others tried to intervene.
The tourist walked toward the quays but was allegedly knocked on the ground and received a “running kick”. The detective described it as a full-force blow to the face.
CCTV evidence
CCTV evidence had been obtained, and it was alleged the accused’s action caused the tourist’s injury.
The court also heard that, aware gardaí were looking for him, he left the country for two days. Initially, he booked a flight from Dublin to Bucharest, and officers waited for him at the airport.
But he went to Belfast instead and flew to Edinburgh and then Naples.
According to Detective Sergeant Byrne, gardaí went to his Dublin address, but it was “cleaned out,” and there were 10 bags of his belongings. It was claimed that “his girlfriend indicated they intended to leave Ireland permanently and have their stuff shipped to Romania”.
The detective sergeant believed Mr Danca had no ties to this jurisdiction and could face additional charges.
He agreed with defence solicitor Evan Moore that the accused had no prior criminal convictions and lived and worked in Ireland for six years and that he came back voluntarily following discussions.
However, that was allegedly after two days of avoiding calls, texts, and emails and efforts to locate him. Another man is also before the courts accused of assaulting Mr Dolmajian.
