The tragic killing of a man in the west of Dublin, Ireland, in January is expected to result in a case file being sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) within the next two to three months, according to an inquest. 35-year-old Kevin Walsh, a resident of Tallaght, succumbed to injuries sustained in an assault on January 7th and passed away at Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown.
Earlier that day, emergency responders and police attended to him when he was discovered critically injured in a flat in Lucan’s Shackleton estate. As per what was heard in a short session of the Dublin District Coroner’s Court on Tuesday, Mr. Walsh experienced severe bleeding and shock due to an abdominal stab wound, which led to his death. The court, led by Coroner Dr Cróna Gallagher, officially declared the cause of death, predominantly for the purpose of issuing a death certificate to the deceased’s family.
Inspector Niamh Buckley informed the court that criminal charges were being explored in relation to Mr. Walsh’s death and that a report was expected to reach the DPP in two to three months’ time. She further verified to the coroner that, as yet, no individual has been indicted for the death of Mr. Walsh.
Upon Inspector Buckley’s request, Dr Cullinane adjourned the proceedings for half a year following the Coroner’s Act, under section 25.
Mr. Walsh’s sister, Lisa McCabe appeared in court to identify her brother post death at Connolly Hospital. It was read into court record that Ms. McCabe verified her brother had an operation following his admission to the hospital on January 7th. She was later notified by a surgeon that he did not survive. Ms. McCabe further acknowledged identifying her brother’s deceased body to Garda Laura Tully from Ronanstown Garda station.
Garda Tully’s testimony indicated that she identified Mr. Walsh’s remains to the State Pathologist, Dr Margot Bolster, the day following his death.
Dr. Cullinane conveyed the court’s condolences to the family of Mr Walsh. In May, three individuals – a man in his 30s and two women in their 40s – were apprehended in relation to Mr Walsh’s stabbing incident. Although investigators suspect the assault took place in a Flat at the Shackleton estate, they have not eliminated that the attack could have occurred in a different location.
It’s believed by detectives that Mr Walsh journeyed by taxi from Allentown, Tallaght to the area of Shackleton early in the morning, and are not excluding that he may have been stabbed prior to this. Mr Walsh, known to the gardaí, had spent time in prison in multiple instances, including a sentence for the fatal assault of a man during his teenage years.
The incident happened between 22nd and 26th September 2005, when 16-year-old Mr Walsh, residing in Allenton Green, Tallaght at the time, fatally assaulted James Burke at the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre in Clondalkin. The incident transpired when they visited a field for a drinking session, leading to the British man, Mr Burke, being brutally attacked. Found guilty of manslaughter, Mr Walsh was sentenced to serve eight years in St Patrick’s Institution, having the last five years suspended.