Courts / Dublin / Report

Delivery cyclist cleared of murdering 16-year-old while being assaulted

Date
2022-06-14

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

A Central Criminal Court jury found food‑delivery cyclist George Gonzaga Bento not guilty of murdering 16‑year‑old Josh Dunne. The jury accepted Bento's claim that he acted in self‑defence after being attacked by a gang while trying to recover a stolen bike. He had pulled out a utility knife he carried for cutting fruit and stabbed three people, including Josh. The State argued that Bento had exaggerated the threat and used unnecessary force. The jury rejected that view, concluding that Bento believed the force he used was necessary to protect himself and his friend Guilherme Quieroz. Bento, who had been in custody for about 18 months, was released after the verdict. The jury also acquitted him of producing the knife in a threatening manner and of assaulting two other young men. The trial lasted six weeks and the jury deliberated for a little over eight hours. The verdict was unanimous.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Delivery cyclist cleared of murdering 16-year-old while being assaulted. Procedural stage: trial

When:

January 26, 2021 Incident
2022-06-14 Publication

Why: Mr Bento's defence counsel, Padraig Dwyer SC, told the jury that his client is an innocent, hard-working man who used reasonable force to defend himself and his friend Mr Quieroz from a "punishment beating" inflicted on them because they tried to retrieve a stolen bicycle. Defence account reported by CNI