Two young men go on trial for Carrigaline murder

A 29-year-old Carrigaline man was punched and kicked on the ground near his home early in the evening at Christmas 2022, it was alleged as two young men were put on trial today for his murder.

21-year-old Ricardo Hoey of 7 Ardcarrig, Carrigaline, County Cork, and 19-year-old Jordan Deasy of 41 Ravensdale, Heron's Wood, both pleaded not guilty to the single charge against them, namely that on December 28 2022 at Glenwood estate, Carrigaline, County Cork, they did murder Matt O’Neill, contrary to common law. The late Matt O’Neill was 29 at the time of his death.

Jane Hyland prosecution senior counsel opened the case to Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford and a jury of six men and six women at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork.

Ms Hyland said in her opening speech that this constituted an outline of the anticipated evidence and was not itself evidence. She also told the jury: 

“It cannot be murder without an intention to kill or an intention to cause serious harm. And both men are charged with murder.

“Matt O’Neill was 29 at the time of this assault – this killing. He was living at the time with his parents, Pat and Eileen O’Neill, living at Glenwood Close in Carrigaline. He went to school in Carrigaline, he was an accomplished swimmer and loved the outdoors and sports.

“Later in his teenage years he began using alcohol to excess, smoking cigarettes and cannabis and he effectively developed an addiction which caused his parents great trouble, and no doubt Mr O’Neill himself. He held down various jobs but in the last year prior to his killing his addictions had taken over, he was not working and he used to go drinking an awful lot.

“On this night he left his home on foot. He went across the road to the garage. He came out with a bottle of wine and was making his way back to his home. On his way back home he was on the road in Glenwood Close.

“What you hear is that ten minutes later at 17.35, John McGovern noticed an Opel Astra stopped in the middle of the road, both front doors open and two males standing outside the vehicle and a third male lying on the ground. Mr McGovern approached the scene. The two males standing there left the scene after a brief exchange with Mr McGovern. The man on the ground was bleeding and unconscious,” Ms Hyland said.

A doctor passing the scene stopped and gave assistance as did ambulance crew and first responders who arrived on the scene but the condition of Mr O’Neill deteriorated and despite life-support at hospital he never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead at 11.08am on January 8 2023.

“Within an hour (of the incident on December 28 2022) Ricardo Hoey came to the garda station and subsequently Mr Deasy was brought to the garda station,” Ms Hyland said.

The prosecution senior counsel then outlined the allegations in relation to that evening at Glenwood. Ms Hyland alleged: “Ricardo Hoey pushed Matt O’Neill. He fell to the ground. When he was on the ground Mr Deasy punched him a number of times to the face. Subsequent to that, Mr Hoey kicked Mr O’Neill in the head.” 

State pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster examined the body of the deceased. Ms Hyland said: “She found that effectively the cause of death was brain injury – blunt force trauma – probably a combination of blows and a fall. He (the deceased) had intoxicants in his system. Mr O’Neill’s blood was found on one of the socks of Mr Hoey. That is the evidence the state hopes will be put before you. Their (the two accused men’s) actions resulted in the death of Mr O’Neill.” 

Ms Justice Lankford told the jury at the outset that the case was expected to take two to three weeks with approximately 100 witnesses listed.