Four men to be sentenced later for their roles in a violent incident in which another man died

By Eimear Dodd and Declan Brennan

Four men will be sentenced later for their roles in a violent incident in Dublin City Centre last year in which another man died.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard fights broke out on South Anne Street in the early hours of February 15, 2025.

The violence spilled onto Duke Lane and later onto Dawson Street and a number of victims were punched, kicked, knocked unconscious and suffered bruising.

Eight men had been due to be sentenced yesterday for their roles in the incident.

However, four of the cases were adjourned to April following defence applications.

John Berry SC, prosecuting, told the court that Quham Babatunde, a 34-year-old Nigerian man, died that night, but not as a result of an assault perpetrated by any of the accused men in this case.

It is alleged that a ninth man fatally stabbed Mr Babatunde.

He is charged with murder and is before the courts in Northern Ireland.

Rory Carr (22) of Ard Na Greine, Seapoint Lane, Balbriggan, pleaded guilty to three counts of assault causing harm to Mr Babatunde, Adetola Adetuilehim and a third man in separate incidents.

The court was told that Carr punched Mr Babatunde eight times after he had been fatally injured by another man.

Bruno Tache (21) of Trimleston, Balbriggan, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Mr Babutunde and another man.

He further pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

Detective Superintendent Katharina Joyce told the court that Tache kicked Mr Babatunde in the head while he was lying on the ground dead.

David Oloo Omee (19) of The Lawn, St Marnock’s Bay, Dublin 13, entered guilty pleas to charges of assaulting Mr Adetuilehim causing him harm and violent disorder.

The court heard that Mr Adetuilehim suffered a fractured eye socket. In a short victim impact report, he said that his best friend died that night and he has never been at peace since.

“It could have been me,” he said, adding that he now feels scared around people he doesn’t know.

Sean Forde (24) with an address at Bath Road, Balbriggan, pleaded guilty to affray.

Dt Supt Joyce gave evidence that there had been a music event on the night of St Valentine’s Day in Club 22, on South Anne Street.

Around 400 people attended this event including the defendants and the injured parties.

CCTV from the club showed limited interaction between the groups and no indication of any fights or arguments.

Tache was asked to leave the club around 2am due to his level of intoxication.

Oloo Omee also left the club at the same time with both men remaining in the Grafton Street area until others left the club an hour later.

An initial fight started outside the club, which Carr attempted to de-escalate by restraining one of the parties involved, the court heard.

Tache punched another man during this fight. Oloo Omee was also present.

Shortly afterwords, a large scuffle involving multiple individuals started outside Isabelle’s restaurant.

Mr Berry told the court that it was during this incident that Mr Babatunde received a fatal stab wound.

He said all four men are involved in the violence to various degrees at this point. Tache punched a man in the head.

He said Forde was present and CCTV showed him standing near Mr Babatunde.

Carr punched Mr Babatunde approximately eight times, then left.

Mr Babatunde had already been allegedly fatally wounded by another man at this point.

Oloo Omee and another co-accused assaulted Mr Adetuilehim by punching him on South Anne Street, with the incident continuing onto Duke Lane where the injured party was kicked.

Forde knocked the phone out of another person’s hand, then stamped on it, the court was told.

The assault of Mr Adetuilehim continued on Duke Lane with Carr and Tache also becoming involved.

CCTV footage showed this assault took place in close proximity to where Mr Babatunde was lying on the ground following his death.

While leaving the area, Tache was the second of two men who kicked Mr Babatunde in the head.

He then lost his footing and fell on top of the dead man.

The court heard this incident last around six minutes.

The men left and walked to Dawson Street, where a further altercation takes place.

Oloo and another co-accused, who is due to be sentenced in April, interacted with three unidentified people on Dawson Street, throwing punches.

Tache also became involved and was thrown to the ground during this incident of violent disorder, which lasted approximately three minutes.

Tache was present during a further assault which later occurred further down Dawson Street, involving other co-accused.

In a laneway of Dawson Street, Carr kicked a victim twice in the head, the court heard.

In the days following the incident, gardai gathered a large quantity of CCTV footage from the area.

They identified the defendants and made arrests.

During interview, Carr predominately relied on his right to silence.

When informed a man had died during the incident he told gardai: “I had nothing to do with this murder, I didn’t know anyone had a knife, God rest his soul”.

Carr was on bail at the time for an offence of drug dealing.

He was also subject to a suspended sentence of two years for possession of knives from 2023.

Tache was on bail for an offence of money laundering and was also subject to a suspended sentence for drug dealing.

Oloo Omee was also on bail for an outstanding offence at the time.

When he was told of the extent of Mr Adetuilehim’s injuries, he said he was so sorry and offered to pay for any surgery.

The garda witness agreed with Simon Matthews BL, defending, that his client’s remorse appeared to be genuine.

She also agreed that his client was not involved in any interaction with the deceased man.

Forde’s previous convictions include one for violent disorder.

Luke O’Higgins BL, defending, said

his client was employed as a barber.

He said the father of one had tried on the night to dissipate the violence on a number of occasions.

Counsel for two of the men asked the court to take into account their guilty pleas, expressions of remorse, youth and personal circumstances.

Fiona Murphy SC, for Carr, said she was instructed to offer a full and unreserved apology and to express his genuine remorse that he was involved in this altercation.

Ms Murphy said her instructions were that Carr took alcohol and ketamine on the night, had no intention to start a fight, and was “at a loss” to explain his actions.

She submitted her client attempted to stop things escalating several times, but at a certain point it appears he “snapped” when there was a rush towards him.

She said he is attempting to address his addiction issues while in custody.

Michael Hourigan SC, defending Tache, noted his client was highly intoxicated on the night.

He said his client fully accepts responsibility for his actions and is engaging with education services while in custody.

He asked the court to structure a sentence to support his client’s rehabilitation upon his release from custody.

Judge Crowe directed urine analysis for Carr and adjourned finalisation of sentence for him and Tache to March 10.

Following defence applications, she directed probation reports for Forde and Omee and remanded them on continuing bail to April 21.