Asylum-seeker pleads guilty to manslaughter after Dublin brawl

An Albanian man pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court yesterday to the manslaughter of a security guard at a Dublin fast…

An Albanian man pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court yesterday to the manslaughter of a security guard at a Dublin fast-food restaurant last year and was remanded in custody until December for sentencing. Afrim Xhafa (22), an asylum-seeker from Albania and of no fixed abode in Ireland, initially denied the murder, in the early hours of June 17th, 1997, of an off-duty security guard, Mr Liam Martin (23), single, of Cabra Park, Phibsboro, Dublin 7, formerly of Derrymore, Graigueallen, Co Carlow.

He also pleaded not guilty to other charges of wounding Mr Bekrija Hoti with intent, of violent disorder and of participating in an affray outside the restaurant on the same date.

Mr Hoti was an asylum-seeker from Kosovo with an address at Millmount Place, Drumcondra, Dublin 9.

A jury of nine men and three women was sworn in to hear the case but following the lunchtime adjournment Xhafa's counsel, Mr Anthony Sammon SC, asked for his client to be rearraigned.

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Xhafa then pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Martin and to wounding Mr Hoti with intent.

Prosecuting counsel Mr Dennis Vaughan Buckley SC said the pleas were acceptable to the State.

Insp John McMahon said after a fight broke out between Mr Martin and the accused, Mr Martin was stabbed 12 times and died from two fatal wounds to the chest.

The incident began when three men, one of whom was the deceased, were eating in the restaurant and three men and a woman came to the door, Insp McMahon said. Mr Hoti, who was on duty that evening, let the group, one of whom was known to him to be the accused, Afrim Xhafa, through the door. After Xhafa had entered the building, "words had been exchanged" between him and Mr Martin which developed into "arguing and shouting", Insp McMahon said.

"The accused took a knife from his belt and tried to stick it in the deceased," Insp McMahon told the court.

"Mr Hoti put out his right hand" to stop the fight and "was struck and sustained quite a severe injury with the knife to the bottom half of his hand."

According to Mr Hoti's statement, later given to gardai, when he looked back he "saw the accused stab the deceased many times", Insp McMahon said.

The accused then put his arm "around the deceased's neck and inflicted injuries to his own left arm" by mistake, the inspector said.

The substantial injuries on Xhafa's arm later enabled gardai to identify him. The fracas developed into a "free for all" involving other members of both groups. The inspector said an Irishman hit the accused in the face but said he was not "100 per cent sure" who started the physical row and said he is not clear if that Irishman was the deceased.

The fight lasted for 15 to 20 minutes, he said.

Mr Justice O'Donovan remanded Xhafa in custody for sentencing on December 1st.