Jonathan Dargan pleads not guilty to manslaughter

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Jonathan Dargan pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to unlawfully killing Patrick Mullally within Dublin city on 6 March 2016. He also pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm to Lauren Mullally and assault causing harm to Shane Cunningham on Harold’s Cross Road, Dublin 6, on 5 March 2016.

The proceedings were reported on 26 November 2019. The trial was continuing before Judge Pauline Codd and a jury.

In her opening to the jury on 26 November, prosecuting counsel Fiona Murphy said an altercation occurred on Harold’s Cross Road on 5 March 2016 and Mr Mullally died the following day.

Professor Marie Cassidy said her postmortem on 7 March 2016 found facial fractures and a large blood clot inside Mr Mullally’s skull. She concluded that he died from a subdural haemorrhage and brain trauma due to blunt trauma to his head. She agreed with defence counsel Vincent Heneghan that the facial fractures alone would not have caused such a rapid death. She agreed that the major injury causing death was to the back of the head and was consistent with his head hitting the ground.

Witness Shaun O’Donoghue said he saw a man throw punches at an older man, whom he later saw lying on the ground and believed to be Mr Mullally. Defence counsel questioned his interpretation and suggested there were fewer punches than he described and that cars obstructed his view. Mr O’Donoghue said his count was an estimate and agreed it was dark and he was some distance away.