An apprentice carpenter has been granted bail after being charged over a fatal one-punch assault in Tallaght, Dublin.
Jack Hall Ellis allegedly attacked 20-year-old student Luke O'Reilly in the early hours of November 1st, a court heard.
Mr O'Reilly, from Kiltipper, Dublin 24 was discovered on the Old Blessington Road at about 3am on November 1st with serious head injuries. He was taken to Tallaght Hospital and then moved to Beaumont Hospital but died on Monday.
A postmortem examination was carried out and the investigation was upgraded.
Gardaí arrested Mr Hall Ellis (20), from Old Court Mill, Tallaght, who was detained on Monday at Tallaght Garda station.
He appeared before Judge Anthony Halpin at Dublin District Court on Wednesday where he was charged with assault causing harm to Mr O'Reilly at the Old Blessington Road.
He made no reply to the charge after caution, Garda David Morris told the court. Dressed in grey hooded jacket and blue jeans, he did not address the court during proceedings and has not yet entered a plea.
Garda Morris objected to bail citing the seriousness of the case and fears of witness intimidation.
Serious charges
He said directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) needed to be obtained. The garda said a more serious charge could be brought at a later stage.
He said it was alleged Mr O’Reilly had just left the Metro pub after he had been socialising with friends for Halloween night. He was walking along Old Blessington Road with friends when a male approached him from behind, Garda Morris alleged.
Garda Morris said the man “proceeded to punch him to the side of the head, unawares to him, he did not know what was coming”.
He said Mr O’Reilly fell to the concrete footpath and he hit his head off the ground. He was attended to by his friends immediately but the accused left the scene.
He was taken to Tallaght hospital but his condition became more serious and he was transferred to the intensive care unit at Beaumont Hospital and passed away there on Monday as a result of his injuries, the court was told.
Garda Morris said an extensive file was being prepared for the DPP and gardaí are awaiting medical exhibits.
Garda Morris said there were witnesses and CCTV evidence, and it was expected a further, more serious charge will be brought. He also said that when detained, the accused made full admissions. He told the court he feared the man would interfere with witnesses who live in the area.
‘Drink taken’
He agreed with defence solicitor Padraig O’Donovan that his client gave himself up and presented himself to gardaí and that he had no history of violence.
He also accepted “that during interview, he said he had a good bit of drink taken that night”.
Garda Morris agreed that Jack Hall Ellis had indicated he had 10 double shots of rum.
Mr O’Donovan said his client rarely went out.
Visibly upset family members of both the accused and the deceased watched the proceeding from the public gallery.
The garda accepted there was one punch thrown.
Mr O’Donovan said it was tragic for the families. Bail conditions had been canvassed with the Garda and €1,000 cash bail could be lodged, he said.
Judge Halpin said the facts of the case were tragic but he was persuaded to grant bail and imposed a number of conditions. He said he was adjourning the case until mid-January for the DPP’s directions to be obtained.
Legal aid was granted.