‘More serious charges to come’

TWO men charged in connection with an alleged assault on 26-year-old Lissycasey man, Brian Casey on St Stephen’s night appeared before Ennis District Court this week where it emerged “more serious charges are to come”.

Mr Casey died at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick on Monday evening.
Harry Dinan (29) with an address of Water Park Heights, Ennis and his nephew Kevin Dinan (22) of Clare Hill Clarecastle were initially brought before a special sitting of Ennis District Court on Monday afternoon, both charged with assault causing harm to Mr Casey at O’Connell Square on December 26-27.
That court heard that both accused made no reply after arrest, charge and caution. Bail was opposed by the State following an application by the defence and both men were remanded in custody to Tuesday afternoon.
The two accused reappeared before Ennis District Court on Tuesday where their solicitor, Ms Tara Godfrey, made an application for free legal aid in respect of both her clients and asked that the free legal aid certificate be extended to cover an independent pathologist.
She outlined that assistant state pathologist, Dr Declan Gilsenan, had agreed to attend the post mortem examination with Dr Khaled Jaber.
In making the application for an independent pathologist in the district court, Ms Godfrey said that this had become “normal practice”.
The post mortem into the death of Mr Casey had been rescheduled (due to Dr Jaber’s unavailability) from Tuesday to Wednesday December 30, the court heard.
Judge Joseph Mangan granted free legal aid and extended the certificate to cover the independent pathologist. 
Inspector Michael Gallagher, prosecuting, said the State’s application was for the two accused to be further remanded in custody to Ennis District Court on January 8, 2010. 
Judge Mangan granted the State’s application and Ms Godfrey indicated that the defence had “no further applications at this time”.