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Court

Gardaí seek directions from DPP over man charged with stabbing of teenager in Swords

Brandon Gavin was charged with causing serious harm to Marius Mamaliga, who has since died.

THE CASE OF a young man charged with attacking a teenager who died following a stabbing in Swords, Dublin, has been adjourned for gardaí to obtain directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Brandon Gavin, 20, was charged on Saturday under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act for causing serious harm to Marius Mamaliga, 19, at Forest Court, Swords, on Thursday evening.

Following a weekend court hearing, he was remanded in custody with consent to bail requiring a €25,000 lodgement.

Marius Mamaliga, from Swords and formerly of Blanchardstown, died in hospital on Sunday night.

Gavin, of Brookdale Road, Rivervalley, Swords, faced his second hearing when he appeared via video link before Judge Brendan Toale at Cloverhill District Court today. He has yet to take up bail.

Detective Conor Tumbleton told the court that the DPP’s directions were needed and defence solicitor Morgan Redmond consented to a two-week adjournment.

Judge Toale remanded Gavin in continuing custody with consent to bail to appear again on 15 March.

He spoke to confirm his name and that he understood the court order and was aware of the date of his next hearing.

At his first court appearance on Saturday, Detective Garda Tumbleton said Gavin made “no reply” to the charge. The detective had objected to bail due to the seriousness of the charge, which can, on conviction, carry a life sentence.

The detective said that gardaí responded to a report of a serious assault at Forest Court at 7.14 pm on 23 February. Paramedics were attending to the injured party on the ground unconscious. He was in a critical condition and rushed to Beaumont Hospital.

It was alleged he had been in his Audi car with two other males who gave statements. They claimed they were parked when another male opened the car door and struck Marius Mamaliga in the neck before running away.

An hour and twenty minutes after the incident, he handed himself into gardaí after his father brought him to Swords station. The court heard that Gavin told gardai, “he came at me, I defended myself, I stabbed him”. The court heard he allegedly owed them €2,000 to €2,500.

The detective agreed with Redmond that Gavin had never come to garda attention before and was from a good and supportive family.

Judge Bryan Smyth set the bail in Gavin’s bond of €1,000 but required approval of a €50,000 surety, of which half must be lodged.

On taking up bail, he must sign on three days a week at a Garda station and always be contactable. There must be no direct or indirect contact with the injured party, the two witnesses and their families. He must reside at his family home, surrender his passport and not apply for alternative travel documents.

Gavin was granted legal aid after the court noted he was unemployed.