A man who had an altercation with security staff at a bar died from a “traumatic blunt force head injury”, an inquest has heard.
James Kailedzi (31) fell to the ground following the altercation outside the Pygmalion bar, Dublin, in the early hours of March 24th, 2023.
He was found dead in his home the next day.
Coroner Aisling Gannon recorded a narrative verdict at the inquest at Dublin District Coroner’s Court on Friday.
READ MORE
The inquest was delayed on a number of occasions on Thursday and Friday. With the agreement of Mr Kailedzi’s family, the coroner said she would write her full verdict in the coming days and deliver it on Tuesday.
The inquest heard Mr Kailedzi, originally from Malawi, had gone to the city-centre bar on the night with two others, one of whom, Arthur Bradford, was denied entry.
Two security guards who were on duty that night, Leonardo Santos and Gabriel Manfrim, gave evidence at the inquest.
Mr Santos said that, after Mr Bradford was refused entry, Mr Kailedzi and his other friend went inside. The men initially sat with a group of female French tourists, Mr Santos said.
There was a disagreement of some sort and one of the women complained, the inquest heard.
Mr Santos said Mr Kailedzi and his friend were asked to leave Pygmalion, which is at the junction of South William Street and Coppinger Row.
The security guards pushed the two men towards South William Street, away from the entrance of the bar, the inquest heard.
During an altercation, Mr Santos said he pushed Mr Kailedzi, who subsequently fell.
Mr Santos said Mr Kailedzi stood back up and was holding a glass in his hand. Mr Santos said he then pushed Mr Kailedzi a second time, causing him to fall again.
On Thursday, a patron told the inquest he saw Mr Kailedzi “swinging” at Mr Santos during the altercation.
Mr Santos said Mr Kailedzi appeared to be fine and walked off in the direction of St Stephen’s Green.
Mr Kailedzi managed to walk to his home on Hatch Street, Dublin 2, but was found dead in his bed by his friends the next day.
Detective Inspector Catriona Joyce, of Pearse Street Garda station, told the inquest she had reviewed CCTV footage of the night in question.
Based on the footage, Mr Kailedzi did not appear to fall again on his walk home, she said.
Det Insp Joyce described the event as “a very tragic incident with the direst of consequences”.
State Pathologist Dr Heidi Okkers, who carried out a postmortem, earlier said Mr Kailedzi died from a traumatic head injury, which was sustained from a fall backwards from a standing height.
On Thursday Dr Okkers said a person “can walk for a period and only afterwards develop the effects” of such an injury.
Last March a previous sitting of the inquest heard the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed that no prosecution should arise over Mr Kailedzi’s death following an examination of a Garda file on the case.
Ms Gannon expressed her condolences to Mr Kailedzi’s family on Friday, saying she knew the evidence had been “very distressing” for them to listen to.
She said she would outline her reasons for a narrative verdict at a hearing on Tuesday.
The coroner said her findings did not seek to “infer blame on any party”, but she would make a number of recommendations.
One recommendation was the Private Security Authority, which licenses and regulates the private security industry, should consider ensuring all security guards undergo first-aid training.
