A 16-year-old boy accused of murdering Urantsetseg Tserendorj, who died after being stabbed in the neck when walking home in Dublin after work, told gardaí that he went out that night planning to rob someone with a knife.
“I panicked and pulled the knife out of my pocket and stabbed her in the neck,” the accused told gardaí. “I done it. I didn’t mean to do it. I’m sorry for it.”
Prosecution counsel Seán Guerin SC on Thursday presented the evidence of four garda witnesses to the trial of the teenager, who cannot be named as he is a minor, in the Central Criminal Court.
Garda David O’Callaghan said he attended at the accused’s home with a search warrant on January 21st, 2021, responding to a complaint about the theft of an electric bicycle. He met the accused’s grandmother, who informed Garda O’Callaghan that she had spoken to her grandson, and it was his intention to hand himself in.
Garda O’Callaghan confirmed that the woman appeared upset. He went upstairs to a bedroom and met the accused, who said: “I did it.”
He cautioned the youth, who continued to speak, saying: “I stabbed that girl. I robbed her. It was me. I stabbed that woman at the CHQ.”
The accused was cautioned again later that evening and was asked to explain what happened.
He said: “I went out on a bike with a knife to rob someone. I saw a woman with a mask, and I tried to rob her. I panicked and pulled the knife out of my pocket and stabbed her in the neck. I done it. I didn’t mean to do it. I’m sorry for it.”
Ms Tserendorj (48), a Mongolian national, was stabbed on a walkway between George’s Dock and Custom House Quay in the IFSC on January 20th, 2021. The accused has pleaded not guilty to her murder but guilty to her manslaughter. He has also pleaded guilty to producing a knife and to attempting to rob the mother of two on the same date.
‘Something terrible’
In response to defence counsel Michael O’Higgins SC, Garda O’Callaghan confirmed that the accused’s grandmother said the boy would hand himself in because “he had done something terrible”.
Garda Mark Barry said that when he spoke with the accused’s grandmother at the house, she said she knew why the gardaí were there and that it had to do with a robbery in which a woman was stabbed. She said she was trying to get the accused to hand himself in.
Garda Barry confirmed that the accused presented them with a jacket at the house, which was produced in court as a prosecution exhibit.
Mr O’Higgins said that when the gardaí met the accused’s grandmother, they were at slightly cross purposes. They were investigating the theft of an electric bicycle but the grandmother had just learned of his involvement in the stabbing of Ms Tserendorj.
“Granny was upset, and the accused was worried,” said Sgt Desmond Brannock.
Garda Karl Bolger gave evidence that on February 10th, 2021, during a search of the accused’s home, a knife was found concealed in the sofa.
Defence counsel Mark Lynam BL asked Garda Bolger if he had also found butter knives. He replied that he found butter knives and a black and red-handled knife.
Garda Maria Harmon gave evidence that she spoke to the accused on January 23rd, 2021, and he told her: “I did not mean to stab that woman. It was an accident. If I could sit in front of her now, I’d say I’m sorry.”
The witness statement of Krysztof Klimczak, who worked as security at a homeless hostel on Amiens Street, was read out in court by Mr Guerin.
‘Very suspicious’
Mr Klimczak said he saw “this guy” going up and down the street on a bicycle in “a very suspicious” way on the night of January 18th, 2021. Mr Klimczak said he saw the male again on the following night wearing the same jacket and riding the same bike. Mr Klimczak said he was smoking outside the hostel on January 20th when the male came up to him and asked him for a cigarette.
“I could see his eyes were everywhere, I was sure he was on drugs. He couldn’t concentrate,” said Mr Klimczak.
Mr Klimczak said he saw the male put his hand into his pocket and pull out a knife just far enough to show him before he put the knife back into his pocket.
The witness described the knife as measuring about 25cm long with a chrome blade. The male then took off on his bike.
“I have not seen this guy again since,” said Mr Klimczak.
The trial continues before a jury of six men and six women and Mr Justice Tony Hunt.