Assault victim dies after coming to aid of cousin
Three charged as life support switched off
Tuesday November 17 2009
A FATHER of three who was seriously assaulted when he went to the aid of his cousin has lost his fight for life in hospital.
The family of James 'Jim' Doyle (40) said a tearful goodbye in Beaumont Hospital yesterday, as they switched off the life-support machine which had kept him breathing since he sustained serious head injuries in the early hours of Saturday.
It is understood that he was set upon by a group of men after trying to help his cousin, Neil Doyle, who came under attack close to a nightclub in Gorey at about 2.30am.
Three foreign nationals were brought before a special sitting of Wexford court yesterday evening in relation to the incident.
James Doyle was originally from the Gorey Hill area but lived in The Rock area, on the outskirts of Gorey, with his wife Margaret and children Fionn (15), Tiernan (12) and Erin (7).
A keen athlete, he participated in a number of marathons over the years, and also played some years ago with the local Tara Rocks football club. He was also known for his fundraising work for local charities.
Friends of his son were sent home early from Gorey Community School yesterday afternoon, after word came through of Mr Doyle's death.
Nightclub
It is believed that Mr Doyle and his cousin were in the Mezz nightclub in Gorey on Friday night and left before 2.30am on Saturday morning.
They were on their way home and went their separate ways before the cousin came under attack from a group of people.
James Doyle went to help his cousin but was himself assaulted, suffering serious head injuries in the process.
The scene of the crime, at Forte Road in the town, was later sealed off by the gardai.
Mr Doyle was rushed to Wexford General Hospital and later transferred to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin, but was left in a critical condition by the assault.
His family yesterday made the decision to switch off the life-support machine and a post-mortem will be carried out today.
His 26-year-old cousin was also taken to hospital and is believed to have sustained a broken jaw during the incident.
Friend Darren Keegan last night described Mr Doyle as "a family man" who loved his sport and did everything he could for his children. "It's absolutely scandalous that something like this could happen in a small town," he told the Irish Independent. "He was a grand chap."
Wexford District Court heard yesterday that Lithuanian national Mantis Kriksciunas (18), of The Avenue, Gorey; and Latvians Artus Janovskis (23), of The Gallops, Ramsgate Village, Gorey, and Roman Muhins (19), of Station Court, The Avenue, Gorey, were all charged with recklessly intent causing serious harm to James Doyle, and with assaulting Neil Doyle causing him harm.
They were all remanded in custody by Judge Donnchadh O Buachalla, to appear at Cloverhill District Court this Friday.
Garda Robert Dignam said that Mantis Kriksciunas said: "I don't like when somebody calls my mother a bitch, and calling me a f*****g foreigner," to one of the charges. He replied "I was just saving myself" to another charge.
Garda Damyanj Jaksic told the court that when the charges were put to Roman Muhins, he replied: "I don't know what to say." Artus Janovskis made no reply to the charges.
Gda Dignam also said the charges against the men would be later withdrawn, and more serious charges preferred.
- Conor Kane and Brendan Furlong
Irish Independent
