A 15-year-old boy accused of murdering a mother-of-two in a stabbing in the IFSC in Dublin has been sent forward for trial to the Central Criminal Court.
Urantsetseg Tserendorj died after she was injured in a 40-second incident on January 20th last.
The woman, 48, originally from Mongolia but who lived in Dublin with her family for a number of years, was rushed to the Mater Hospital following a knife attack.
The incident happened at 9.30pm near the CHQ building at Custom House Quay as the office cleaner walked home from work.
After about two weeks in critical condition, she passed away with her husband Ulambayar at her bedside.
The boy, aged 14 at the time of the incident was remanded in custody in January. He was originally charged with assault causing harm, attempted robbery and unlawful possession of a knife as a weapon.
He cannot be named because he is a minor.
Case upgraded
In May the case was upgraded and the assault and knife possession charges were withdrawn on direction of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
They were replaced with charges of murder of Mrs Tserendorj at the walkway between St George’s Dock and Custom House Quay, and production of a knife while committing murder.
The teen appeared again at the Dublin Children’s Court on Thursday and was served with a copy of the prosecution’s book of evidence by Detective Sergeant Brendan Casey.
The boy greeted the judge when he entered but did not address the court afterwards, and spoke only to his solicitor.
Judge John Lindsay noted the DPP has consented to trial in indictment on the seven charges included in the book of evidence.
Granting a return for trial order, Judge Lindsay told the boy he was being sent forward in custody to appear at the next term of the Central Criminal Court.
Next court appearance
A date for his next appearance has yet to be scheduled.
The boy, who was accompanied to court by his sister and his solicitor Sean McCormack, has not yet indicated how he will plead.
Judge Lindsay warned him that the State must be given details in writing if he intends to use an alibi in his defence.
Legal aid was granted.
An earlier hearing, the Children’s Court ruled that separate charges could be included in the murder trial after the State argued they demonstrated a pattern.
The teen is also charged with other offences on the same date as the murder, and one offence two days earlier: a robbery of a woman close to the IFSC, a threat to kill or cause serious harm to a shopkeeper on O’Connell Street, and production of a knife while attempting robbery of a third woman at Amiens Street in Dublin 1.
Incident
Detective Sergeant Casey had told the court the incident involving the deceased, Urantsetseg Tserendorj, lasted 40 seconds.
She had left work in the IFSC and was walking home.
It was alleged the boy threw his bike in front of her and demanded money. It was claimed the teen “produced a knife and inflicted a single stab wound under her ear”.
It was alleged that following a brief verbal interaction, the teen left while Ms Tserendorj phoned her husband. They met at Amiens Street and an ambulance was called.
