A young man is to stand trial accused of murdering teenager Marius Mamaliga, who died following a stabbing in Dublin in February.
Brandon Gavin (20) was initially charged under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act for causing serious harm to the 19-year-old at Forest Court, Swords, on the evening of February 23rd.
Mr Mamaliga had been sitting in his car when he suffered severe injuries.
Paramedics were attending to the unconscious injured party on the ground as gardaí arrived. He was then taken to Beaumont Hospital in critical condition.
Mr Mamaliga, from Swords and formerly of Blanchardstown, died in hospital three days after the incident.
Following directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Mr Gavin was further charged with the murder of Mr Mamaliga contrary to common law.
He appeared before Judge Cephas Power at Cloverhill District Court on Wednesday, when Detective Garda Conor Tumbleton gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution.
Judge Power heard that Mr Gavin, of Brookdale Road, Rivervalley, Swords, “made no reply” to the charge when it was put to him at 10.41am on Wednesday.
Detective Garda Tumbleton said the DPP directed that Mr Gavin would face “trial on indictment on one count of murder”. The previous charge, under section four of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, was withdrawn.
Mr Gavin had been held in custody with consent to bail since his first hearing on February 25th.
Dressed in a grey hoodie and blue jeans, the accused did not address the court and is yet to indicate a plea.
He could not seek bail on the new, more serious charge as the District Court does not have the jurisdiction to consider a bail application in murder cases.
Judge Power granted him legal aid following an application from defence counsel Sharon Rossiter. Earlier in the proceedings, the court had heard he was unemployed.
Mr Gavin was remanded in custody to appear again on July 26th pending the preparation of a book of evidence, which must be served on him before the District Court can grant a return for trial order to send him forward to the Central Criminal Court.
At his first hearing on February 25th, Detective Garda Tumbleton said Mr Gavin handed himself into gardaí after his father brought him to Swords Garda station an hour and 10 minutes after the incident.
