Richard Dekker pleads not guilty to Daniel McAnaspie murder

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

Richard Dekker (30) has pleaded not guilty to murdering 17-year-old Daniel McAnaspie. The charge concerns an alleged killing at Tolka Valley Park, Blanchardstown, on 26 February 2010. The proceedings were reported on 24 February 2017.

The report said Daniel McAnaspie’s body was not found for almost three months. Gardaí began investigating his disappearance when he failed to return home on 25 February.

Detective Sergeant Daniel Callaghan told prosecuting counsel Brendan Grehan SC that gardaí spoke to Richard Dekker because he was among the last people known to have seen Daniel McAnaspie. The report said Richard Dekker made a statement under caution at home on 7 March, nine days after the last confirmed sighting.

In his account, Richard Dekker said he had been drinking outdoors with Trevor Noone, Daniel McAnaspie and others. He said Trevor Noone punched Daniel McAnaspie, who fell without hitting back. He said he went home, then returned outside after seeing they were no longer fighting. He later decided to go home and said Daniel McAnaspie walked away in a direction he could not remember. He said that was the last time he saw him.

The prosecution’s case was that Richard Dekker and Trevor Noone lured Daniel McAnaspie to a secluded area beside the Tolka River and stabbed him to death with half a garden shears.

Defence barrister Sean Gillane SC said his client wished to make admissions to help the trial proceed more swiftly. Richard Dekker accepted that his arrest, detention and charge were lawful, as were the preservation of the crime scene and exhibits.

Justice Patrick McCarthy told the jury that a legal issue needed discussion in their absence and asked the seven women and five men to return the following Tuesday.