Courts / Dublin / Report

Baseball bat fight "was like something out of Star Wars", witness tells murder trial

Summary

During a murder trial in the Central Criminal Court, a taxi driver named John Clarke testified that on 10 October 2013 he witnessed a violent altercation on Main Street, Swords, involving two men and baseball bats. Clarke described one man pulling a bat from a car boot and striking the other, then the second man retrieving another bat and swinging it. He likened the scene to "something out of Star Wars." Another witness, Pearse Fagan, recounted hearing the fight from his phone call, seeing both men swing bats, and noting the victim's head bleeding. Fagan, a first aider, removed his t-shirt to stop the bleeding and photographed the assailant. The accused, Jooda Akanbi, is charged with murdering Taiwo Jamani and with causing serious harm to another man on the same day. Akanbi pleaded not guilty, claiming self‑defence. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Tony Hunt with a jury of twelve.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Baseball bat fight "was like something out of Star Wars", witness tells murder trial. Charges or matters: murdering 45-year-old Taiwo Jamani on November 13th, 2013; both charges. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• October 10th, 2013 Incident
• November 13th, 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2015-04-16 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial Violent Crime

Related court reports

• Stardust survivor left 'aghast' at government redress scheme
• Bulgarian national stole €11k from heavily pregnant woman just one week after arrival in Ireland
• 'Far from peripheral' - Regency getaway drivers fail to have sentences reduced
• Hapless robber dropped phone, cash at raid scenes
• Regency getaway drivers say prison sentences were too high
• Dealer who told mother he'd get 'junkies' to rape her son over drug debt gets 10 years

Read the original CNI report