Courts / Dublin / Report
Homeless man stabbed 25 times in back, trial hears
Summary
In a Central Criminal Court murder trial, a homeless man, Michal Kurek, aged 33, died in August 2017 after suffering 62 stab injuries, including 25 to his back, and blunt‑force trauma to his head and chest. Dr Michael Curtis, the Deputy State Pathologist, testified that the overwhelming cause of death was the stab wounds and blunt‑force injuries. Kurek's body was found on a grass verge in Ballyboughal, wearing a black hooded top and jeans pulled down to the upper thigh, clutching blades of grass. The wounds were consistent with a single‑blade knife, with 25 on the back and multiple on the chest, arms and legs. Toxicology showed cannabis and amphetamine metabolites, neither contributory to death. Sebastian Barczuk, 32, a Polish national and former housemate, pleaded not guilty to Kurek's murder. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, is a technical case relying on forensic evidence and is expected to last up to four weeks.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Homeless man stabbed 25 times in back, trial hears. Charges or matters: murdering Mr Kurek (33), his former housemate, at a place unknown within the State between August 3 and 4, 2017. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- August 2017 Other
- August 3 Other
- August 8 Other
- August 2, 2017 Other
- August 9 Other
- 2020-09-16 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: murdering Mr Kurek (33), his former housemate, at a place unknown within the State between August 3 and 4, 2017 (Alleged Or Contested)
Defendant
Charges: murdering Mr Kurek (33), his former housemate, at a place unknown within the State between August 3 and 4, 2017 (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
Drugs Stage Trial Violent Crime
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