Canadian tourist's head was 'treated like a football' in fatal Dublin assault, court hears
Eoin Reynolds
A Canadian tourist who was "loved by everyone" was beaten to death on a Dublin street and had his head "treated like a football", the deceased's sister has told the Central Criminal Court.
Maral Dolmajian said her brother, Neno Dolmajian (42), had the "soul and sensitivity of an artist", was curious about the world and loved to learn as much as he could.
He planned his trip to Ireland around a Liam Gallagher concert, but met a group of people near O'Connell St and was knocked to the ground before being kicked full force in the face.
Ms Dolmajian said her brother's death has forever destroyed their family.
She said: "My parents have always gone above and beyond to help family and friends. They have always been the most generous with their time and energy.
"The consequence of all this goodness, all these good deeds, was their only son being killed. Their son, who wouldn't even hurt a fly. Their son, who had never gotten into fights, who got on with everyone and was loved by everyone."
She said bad things happen to good people, and her brother was a "good person, kind, funny, thoughtful and a joy to be around. He made people feel seen and valued. Everyone loved him."
Dolmajian said she lives with the "unbearable guilt" that she was not able to keep her brother safe and thinks of his final moments every day: "How he was punched and shoved to the ground and kicked in the head at full force... I think about how Ionut Danca treated my brother's head like a football.
"I think about how unnecessary and violent it was. I wonder what kind of person would do that, and why? Why would they be that violent towards someone they just met?"
Her brother's life had value, she said, and he did not deserve to die in the manner he did. "He deserved to live a long and happy life, but his life was taken from him, it was taken from us."
She asked Mr Justice Paul McDermott to impose a sentence on his killer that reflects the violence her brother suffered and acknowledges the family's loss.
Ionut Danca (25) pleaded guilty last year to the unlawful killing of Neno Dolmajian on July 2nd, 2024, at O'Connell St Upper.
Danca's co-accused, Madalin Ghiuzan (24), pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Dolmajian, causing him harm at Cathal Brugha St, Dublin 1.
Dolmajian was assaulted on June 23rd, 2024 and died nine days later having been treated at the Intensive Care Unit of the Mater Hospital.
Danca, a construction worker from Romania but with an address at Rathdown Square, North Circular Road, Dublin 7, had previously been charged with murder.
Ghiuzan, originally from Romania but with an address at Summerhill Parade, Dublin 1, had a manslaughter charge brought against him.
Following the guilty pleas, the murder charge against Danca and the manslaughter charge against Ghiuzan are not being pursued by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Sgt Donal Byrne on Monday told prosecutor Seoirse Ó Dúnlaing that the victim was a Canadian national of Armenian heritage.
He had an interest in music and playing the guitar, and was travelling alone. He arrived in Ireland in June 2024, was staying at the Ivy Exchange and was due to leave on July 2nd.
On the day he suffered the fatal injury, Dolmajian was drinking, and after midnight, he encountered a number of males, including the two defendants, outside the Living Room nightclub on Cathal Brugha St.
There was a row during which Ghiuzan punched and pushed Dolmajian, causing him to fall to the ground.
He remained on the ground for more than one minute and struggled to get back to his feet, the garda said.
Dolmajian then followed the group to O'Connell St, where there was a further series of interactions in which Dolmajian was again pushed to the ground before Danca delivered a "running kick straight to the face" of the deceased.
Eoin Lawlor, for Danca, said his client was initially trying to act as a peacemaker and displayed no aggression. He said something changed either as a result of Dolmajian striking the accused or insulting his family.
He said his client accepts that what he did was wrong and has written a "sincere apology" to the deceased's family.
He asked the court to consider a reference by Danca's employer describing him as having an "exemplary work ethic". He has no previous convictions, wants to create a good life for himself and his partner and is unlikely to come before the courts again, Lawlor said.
Morgan Shelley, for Ghiuzan, said that but for the "extremely tragic" events that followed his client's assault on Dolmajian, his case might have been dealt with in the lower courts. He asked Justice McDermott to consider imposing a fully suspended sentence.
The court will deliver sentence next Tuesday, February 17th.
