A SECOND man has been remanded in custody charged with attacking asylum seeker Quham Babatunde, who died after sustaining fatal injuries in Dublin at the weekend.
Rory Carr, 21, appeared before Judge Paula Murphy at Dublin District Court today.
Mr Carr, of Ard na Greine, Seapoint Lane, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, was one of three people arrested during the investigation.
Mr Babatunde, a 34-year-old Nigerian man, died after an incident on Anne Street South in the city centre at around 3am on Saturday.
A row at a music event between two groups of people spilled onto the street.
Mr Babatunde was found unresponsive by gardai at the scene.
He was treated by emergency services personnel and rushed to St James’s Hospital but pronounced dead a short time later.
Mr Carr was charged with assault causing harm to Mr Babatunde and Adetola Adetuilehim at Anne Street South.
Mr Adetuilehim, who is in his 30s, was hospitalised following the incident.
Mr Carr is also charged with engaging in violent disorder with persons unknown.
Garda Paul Cummins told Judge Murphy the accused was charged shortly before 11pm on Tuesday at Pearse Street station.
The garda said Mr Carr “made no reply” to the charges. He added: “There are objections to bail”.
However, defence solicitor Evan Moore said his client was not applying for bail at this stage.
Judge Murphy remanded Mr Carr in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on February 26 for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
She also stressed that the State must be notified if there will be a bail application.
DID NOT ADDRESS COURT
Mr Moore said his client consented to appear via video link, and legal aid was granted after a statement of Mr Carr’s means was presented to the court.
Mr Moore said the accused “is not working and has no assets”.
Dressed in a dark blue and grey tracksuit and black runners, Mr Carr stood silently with his hands behind his back.
He did not address the court and spoke only to his solicitor at the end of the hearing before turning to and nodding at a person in the public gallery.
ANOTHER MAN CHARGED
On Tuesday, Jeffrey Bangu, of Cardy Rock Crescent, Balbriggan, was held in custody by Judge Murphy after he was brought before the same court.
The 21-year-old unemployed man was charged with assault causing harm to Mr Babatunde at Duke Lane and to Adetola Adetuilehim at Anne Street South.
Mr Bangu was accused of violent disorder, and he had an additional charge for the production of a knife during the course of a fight at Anne Street South.
Garda David Dolan had said Mr Bangu “made no reply to the charges” and that there would be strenuous objections to his bail, but he did not make an application.
Mr Bangu was remanded in custody pending his next hearing at Cloverhill District Court on February 25.
A 23-year-old man was arrested by the PSNI in Belfast shortly before boarding a ferry and is currently detained at a police station in Northern Ireland.
Mr Babatunde had been living in the Ballyogan accommodation centre in south Dublin pending his asylum request process.
