A man with an address in Galway has been charged in relation to a “frenzied rampage” which is connected to the death of Qayyum Balogun on Dublin’s Clarendon Street.
A sitting of Dublin District Court has heard that Mr Balogun was “relentlessly pursued” by a gang of individuals spurred into action by “protagonist” Joshua Brodericks, whom Gardaí said was part of a “truly senseless and vicious acts of violent disorder” wherein a “staggering propensity for violence” was unleashed during the “frenzied rampage”, Garda William McCarthy said.
Brodericks (25) of Glenn Dara, Rahoon, Co. Galway was arrested by Gardaí stationed at Pearse Street before he was charged with assault causing harm to a male on Grafton Street.
Brodericks is also charged that on the same date, he at Clarendon Street, Dublin committed violent disorder with other persons unknown present together, used or threatened to use unlawful violence and such conduct, taken together, was such as would cause a person of reasonable firmness present at said place to fear for his or another person’s safety.
He is also charged that on the same date he assaulted a woman, causing her harm on Grafton Street, and committing violent disorder with persons unknown present together, used or threatened to use unlawful violence and such conduct, taken together, was such as would cause a person of reasonable firmness present at said place to fear for his or another person’s safety in respect of the woman also on Grafton Street.
The court heard that the events erupted after a friend of Broderick became involved in a verbal dispute with another male on a staircase in Bewley’s, Grafton Street, when attending an after-party of Nigerian artist Shalllipopi. Although Brodericks initially acted as a “peacemaker”, he became an “aggressor”, which led to him and his friends being made to leave the venue.
The group were intoxicated and moved outside and gathered around the premises, the court heard.
When the now-deceased Qayyum Balogun was leaving Bewleys, one of his friends recognised some of Brodericks’ friends who were “already in an aggressive state”, leading them to feel “intimidated and concerned” that they “might run foul” of the group were they to walk past them.
On foot of this concern, the group were let out onto the Swan Yard lane to avoid the group before heading onto Harry Street.
Balogun’s group didn’t realise that a number of friends of Brodericks were acting as “scouts” and saw them after they had slipped out the back, and alerted the larger group to their location.
The larger “14 man pack” then “relentlessly pursued” Balogun and his friends before the deceased man lost his footing on the rain-soaked Clarendon Street and was “set upon” by six individuals, some of whom stabbed him with knives, in a “savagely unprovoked attack” in which he was “surrounded and unable to escape” while he was held down.
The court heard that Brodericks is believed to have been the “protagonist” of the violent disorder.
Garda McCarthy said that as Balogun lay dying, the group fled towards Chatham Lane, where a number of them disposed of knives, with one of them appearing to “consult” with Brodericks.
At this point, Oreoluwa Amosu (24), to whom Brodericks is accused of causing harm, came back to Grafton Street, unaware that his friend had been fatally stabbed.
There he met a friend, Chloe Scannell (22), with whom he hid in the doorway of the Dr. Martin’s shop. While Broderick was attempting to “make good on his escape”, he came across the pair and began to “call for backup” before he “initiated violence for the second time”, Garda McCarthy claimed.
As some of his group surrounded the Amosu and Scannell, the young woman got between the gang and Amosu in order to protect him from them.
It is alleged that Brodericks then punched the woman in the face, causing her to fall to the ground, before one of his associates produced a large knife and attempted to stab Amosu with it.
The knife-wielding man slipped on the wet ground as he lunged at Amosu, who managed to flee after parts of his clothing tore off from where Brodericks was holding him, Garda McCarthy said. The court heard that the State believed that if the clothes hadn’t ripped, Amosu would have been seriously assaulted and possibly stabbed to death.
At this point, having learned of the fatal stabbing, Gardaí began to arrive at the scene, and the gang fled.
The court heard that a “vast amount of CCTV” has been harvested and that the investigation is ongoing and “fluid”.
After the alleged incident, a number of those involved returned to a premises which has been rented via booking.com by Brodericks.
Garda McCarthy said that mobile phone videos from before the incident had been secured, which showed the accused with other persons of interest “rapping” and “dancing” in “good spirits” while one of them “posturing with a large knife”, which he argued was proof that Brodericks knew that some of his friends were armed.
The State also objected to bail as it is believed that he may be “emboldened” to flee the jurisdiction, as a number of his friends are thought to have done. The State also said that he would now be aware of a number of items of interest to the investigation, which it is feared he may attempt to dispose of.
Aonghus McCarthy, defending, argued that his client was entitled to the presumption of innocence, that he was “born and raised” in Galway, and that he had just completed a three-year college course.
He said that he had no history of convictions for similar offences and that his mother, a carer for the elderly, had offered to offer surety should he be admitted to bail.
Mr McCarthy argued that his client was not accused of the murder of Mr Balogun, and that numerous people are admitted to bail who were facing charges of a similarly serious nature.
The accused’s mother, entering the witness stand, said she would “100%” allow her son to reside at her address, that he would comply with curfew conditions, and that she understood that if he broke his bail conditions, her money would be forfeit.
Having heard the facts, Judge White rose to consider his decision before admitting the accused to bail on a number of strict conditions.
He must reside at his mother’s address, surrender his passport and not apply for other travel documents, keep his phone on and with him so he can be contacted 24/7, sign on once daily at Mill Street Garda Station, obey a curfew between 10 pm and 7 am, and a surety of 2,000 is to be made available.
He was remanded in custody with consent to bail to appear before Cloverhill District Court next Friday. He was granted legal aid.