Two Romanian nationals will stand trial at the Central Criminal Court accused of killing Canadian tourist, Neno Dolmajian, in Dublin city centre last year.
Both Ionut Danca (24) and Madalin Ghiuzan (23) had books of evidence served on them at the Dublin District court today.
Mr Dolmajian (41), from Quebec, was on holiday in Dublin in June of last year when he was allegedly assaulted on O’Connell Street, suffering serious head injuries. He died in hospital nine days later.
Danca has been charged with murdering Neno Dolmajian, while Ghiuzan is charged with manslaughter.
Both accused were granted free legal aid, and have been released on bail. Danca’s solicitor asked that the book of evidence and any other disclosure documents be translated into Romanian.
Last November, it emerged that the accused, Ionut Danca, left Ireland for two days after the assault, flying to Edinburgh.
Edinburgh Live reported on how the court heard that Danca “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.”
It was claimed in court that “his girlfriend indicated they intended to leave Ireland permanently and have their stuff shipped to Romania.”
The court heard from detective Sergeant Byrne that gardai had attended his Dublin address, but it was “cleaned out,” and there were ten bags of his belongings.
Defence solicitor Evan Moore said that Danca had no prior criminal convictions and lived and worked in Ireland for six years and that he came back to Ireland “voluntarily” after discussions. But this was allegedly only after two full days of calls, texts, and emails and efforts to find him.
The death sent shockwaves through the capital, with then Taoiseach Simon Harris saying that he was “absolutely appalled” and describing the death of the tourist as “reprehensible” and “horrific.”
“I’m absolutely appalled at the recent vicious attack in Dublin city centre which resulted in the death of a young man, Neno Dolmajian, and my thoughts are with his loved ones,” he said in July. “A man who came from Montreal to, as you say, enjoy the best of our city, the best of our country, who came here on his holidays.”