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Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Irish Examiner
Accused in Cobh murder trial didn't account for his movements at relevant time to gardaí
The tattoo artist on trial for murdering a young man in Cobh by slashing his leg with a sword was questioned by gardaí around a week afterwards but he made no comment when asked to account for his movements at the relevant time. 31-year-old Dylan Scannell of O'Rahilly Street, Cobh, County Cork, spoke to gardaí following his arrest on March 22, 2024, for murdering Ian Baitson and he described being a tattoo artist, his drug use, mental health and a head injury he sustained in a fall. He was also questioned about key aspects of the investigation and warned in legal terms that inferences could be drawn from a failure to answer. Sergeant Diarmuid O'Neill and Detective Garda Dave Barry put it to him that blood of Ian Baitson was found on the passenger footwell mat of a car in which he (the accused) was present at 20.53 on March 15, 2024, after - gardaí believed - he seriously assaulted Ian Baitson with a sword. Asked if he wished to say anything about that, he replied, 'No'. Ian Baitson (pictured) died on March 19, 2024. File picture Similar inference explanations were given to him when he was asked why he was present at the Eurospar car park at the relevant time when Ian Baitson was subjected to a brutal assault by him with a sword. He replied: 'No comment.' This evidence emerged from memos of interviews on March 22 and March 23, 2024, at Midleton garda station. In the murder trial which ran throughout this week Dylan Scannell denied murdering 33-year-old chef, Ian Baitson, in Eurospar car park, Newtown Road, Cobh, on March 19, 2024, but admitted his manslaughter. The prosecution case is almost finished, prosecution senior counsel Donal O'Sullivan said on Friday. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon said to the jury of six men and six women at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork: 'We will go into the final stages of this trial next week.' She asked the jury to return on Tuesday, June 3. In earlier parts of the interviews talking about his life and background, the accused said he was engaged to be married and that he had worked for years as a tattoo artist and had his own studio at different times, in Cobh and Tralee, and was still doing it at that time in early 2024 on a freelance basis. In relation to his own body tattoos, he referred to one on his head of an Egyptian demon. He had an interest in American show dogs and fishing, he said during interviews. He also said: 'My mental health is not great.' He spoke of falling from a roof six weeks previously for which he received hospital treatment. Regarding drugs, he said: I am taking cocaine – half a lump a day, maybe more. He also spoke of taking other drugs including, 'acid, mushrooms and ecstasy'. He said his drug-taking began at the age of 13 or 14. Defence senior counsel Tom Creed said reference was also made to the defendant taking medication, including anti-depressants. Before the evidence of memos of interviews, there was evidence from two forensic scientists from Forensic Science Ireland. Dr Alan Magee said blood samples on a car mat taken in evidence from a rented Skoda Octavia matched the profile of the deceased, Ian Baitson. Dr Stephen Clifford said that a sample taken from a sword matched the DNA profile of Ian Baitson, using a different type of DNA test than his colleague used on the mat. He explained that the sword-matched DNA could also match a person's siblings and maternal relatives.
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Dylan Scannell told Cork chef: 'I am going to smash you when I see you', Cobh murder trial hears
The man who denies murder in Cobh texted the deceased on the day saying: 'I am going to smash you when I see you… I am going to chop your fingers off.' This evidence was given in the trial of 30-year-old Dylan Scannell, of O'Rahilly Street, Cobh, Co Cork, who denies murdering Cork chef Ian Baitson, in Eurospar car park, Newtown Road, Cobh, on March 19, 2024, but admits his manslaughter. March 19 is the date of death in hospital four days after the incident in the car park. Evidence was heard by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of six men and six women at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork that the deceased bled heavily after being struck to the left leg with a sword. Detective Garda David Kelleher testified that Ian Baitson's phone was found at the scene in the car park of Eurospar in Cobh on the day in question and a forensic extraction of all the data on the phone was undertaken. WhatsApp messages WhatsApp communications between Ian Baitson, and the accused, whose name appeared in the contacts of Dylan Scannell, consisted of 314 interactions — mainly texts but also including voice notes, images and missed or declined calls between August 2023 and March 2024. Many of the messages consist of arrangements to 'meet for coin', and for Ian Baitson to pay money in various amounts to Dylan Scannell. In the course of these, Ian Baitson said he owed various amounts in the order of hundreds of euro and disputed in one text: 'There is no way I owe you €2,500, not a f***ing chance… You want to check that. I know that myself. Not a chance, lad. Don't even think to say I owe that… I actually have it wrote down myself… I am telling you now, lad. Who do you think you are? Ha. I am skitting how you think you can say that. Ha… I owe you less than €500." Dylan Scannell texted in reply: 'Who do I think I am? Are you taking the piss? Or do you want it that way?' The deceased texted: 'Lad, I am not taking the piss. I never got that much. Are you getting snappy towards me?... It is not even near to the bill. I will send you what I wrote down.' Dylan Scannell replied: 'If you think this is snappy, you delusional.' Mr Baitson later texted: 'I would never bullshit you, ever.' This exchange occurred on February 20 2024. In later texts, the deceased said he had two cousins from Coolock, and the accused wanted to know their full names and their Eircodes. The accused texted on March 10: 'My buddy reckons he knows them,' adding they might be near a particular bar in Coolock. Mr Baitson said they would not be down to Cobh, adding: 'They run a big operation too, so I am not going to hound them.' Later on March 10, Mr Baitson texted: 'Lad, I want to sort out this shit, I am not continuing on this no more… €185 on Thursday and we are done… I pay this €185 on Thursday, that is the end of it, you can delete my name, we are done, bud.' The accused texted: 'It is €2,500, not €25,000. You wanted to do it this way. I was being fair. Who is your cousins and where do they live? Where are you now?' The deceased texted: 'I owe you €185 from the bill. I am not trying to make any situation. I have no more to do with you or anyone else. So-called friend I thought you were. To pull that bullshit makes me sick, lad.' The accused replied: 'Listen to me now you cheeky prick. I stopped a fella from cutting your mickey off a couple of months ago and you think you can speak to me like that.' The deceased texted back: 'Lad, I know you did, I am not speaking shit to you… If my job was to collect for you, no way would I steal from you.' Other texts disputed whether €350 or €310 were paid by the deceased to the accused through a third party. Two days later, there was a voice note from the accused saying: 'You scumbag.' The deceased texted: 'Be on your own, Thursday, when I give you €185… I will see you Thursday with the last €185.' The accused replied: 'You will see me sooner than that. Trust me… Have something nice for you.' After a number of texts from Dylan Scannell on March 12, Ian Baitson replied he was busy and not in Cobh. After further contacts from Dylan Scannell, Mr Baitson texted: 'Is there something wrong with you, lad? I am busy. Pretty straightforward.' Dylan Scannell replied: 'No, bud, just asking where you are — pretty straightforward.' Two days later, Mr Scannell texted threatening texts of a sexual nature and said he was going to come to his home. At 5.14am on March 15, the deceased texted: 'Was that a threat last night, was it?' The accused replied: 'Call it whatever the fuck you want, I am going to smash you when I see you… Cheeky c***. Mr Baitson replied: 'I am joking, lad. Sense of humour. See you after.' Dylan Scannell texted: 'Have that few quid. Who do you think you are? Think you are a hard man? I am going to chop your fingers off, you smart c***.' The two men arranged by text to meet at Eurospar car park. At about 8.30pm, the deceased texted he was going there. Dylan Scannell texted back: 'No, I will tell you when to leave.' Ian Baitson replied: 'OK, bud.' About 10 minutes later, he texted: 'Go now', and the deceased replied — in what was the last communication of the 314 interactions on WhatsApp — 'On my way.' A video montage from various CCTV was also shown to the jury without commentary of streets in Cobh and of the Eurospar carpark at the relevant time, without commentary of any kind. The trial continues. Read More Witness at Cobh murder trial said he saw man holding a sword and striking another man on the leg
Sunday World
3 days ago
- Sunday World
Chef's leg ‘severed' in sword attack linked to debt, murder trial hears
Dylan Scannell went on trial yesterday charged with the murder of Ian Baitson in a Eurospar car park A murder trial has heard that a 33-year-old chef sustained a 'catastrophic bleed' with his left leg being 'mostly severed' after he was attacked by a man with a sword in a car park in Cobh, Co Cork. Dylan Scannell went on trial at a sitting of the Central Criminal Court in Cork yesterday charged with the murder of Ian Baitson in a Eurospar car park on Newtown Road in Cobh in March 2024. The 30-year-old denies murder. However, he has pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Ian Baitson and his killer Dylan Scannell News in 90 Seconds - May 28th Mr Baitson, who was a father-of-two, died at Cork University Hospital (CUH) on March 19, 2024, four days after he was attacked in a car park about two minutes from his home. He had told his mother Helen that he was going to the shop and would be back in a few minutes. Shop worker Eric Thomas gave evidence that on the evening of March 15, 2024, a person ran in to the shop and told him that a man was injured in the car park. When he went out he saw a man, whom he recognised as Ian Baitson, lying on his stomach on the ground. He said that he and another man rolled Mr Baitson over. He noted that there was a 'lot of blood.' Mr Thomas said the left leg of the injured man was 'mostly severed.' Dylan Scannell is charged with the murder of Ian Baitson. Photo: Cork Courts. He and others present used a belt to make a tourniquet. They tried to stop the bleeding with bandages. Meanwhile, another witness, Ron Ellis, said that he was parked in his car in the car park when he saw a man he didn't recognise arrive in a silver Octavia car. He said the car stopped by the bottle bank. Mr Ellis noticed that the car music was 'blaring'. He stated that a man whom he did not recognise got out of the car holding a sword and then proceeded to strike another man with it. 'I was in shock. The man on the ground started shouting and roaring for help. He (the assailant) vanished and the person on the ground started shouting for help. I approached him and saw a lot of blood. I tried to call 999 but I became frustrated with the operator. I ran in to the shop for help. 'To say I was shocked would be a mild way of putting it. (The man) was in a lot of pain.' A third witness emergency first responder, Liam Leahy, said he was in Eurospar when he heard someone say that a man outside was after having his leg chopped off. He grabbed his first aid bag from his car and rushed to the assistance of the injured man. A German student also assisted at the scene. A tourniquet was applied. Mr Leahy said he and the other men tried to stop a 'catastrophic bleed.' He told the court that he knew the situation was grave. A doctor and two paramedic crews also attended at the scene. Dr Hugh Doran said when he arrived at the car park Ian Baitson was in cardiac arrest. He and the paramedics went to his assistance ventilating him with oxygen and giving him cardiac massage. Mr Baitson was then taken by ambulance to hospital. Prosecuting counsel Donal O'Sullivan, SC, opened the case by giving the jurors an outline of the evidence in the case. However, he emphasised that this was not evidence in itself. Mr O'Sullivan said that Dylan Scannell and Ian Baitson were known to each other. 'It appears that there was a debt owed by Ian Baitson to Dylan Scannell being paid off bit by bit over a period of time.' It is alleged by the State that in the run up to the meeting on March 15, 2024 messages from Dylan Scannell to Ian Baitson became 'more threatening' in nature. Mr O'Sullivan said that the two men met in the back of the Eurospar complex at around 8.50pm with Mr Scannell allegedly getting out of a silver Skoda Octavia car. 'It is alleged that Dylan Scannell attacked and struck Ian Baitson with a sword causing his death. The person who carried out the attack left immediately in the car.' Mr O'Sullivan alleges that in the aftermath of the attack, the silver car was driven to a beach area near the mall in the town. He said that the car stopped in the Connolly Street area right next to the harbour. 'Subsequently, gardaí carried out a search in the Mall, a shingle type beach, and a sword was found with a DNA match to Ian Baitson.' The trial continues.
Irish Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Irish Times
Chef had leg ‘mostly severed' in sword attack over debt dispute, murder trial told
A murder trial has heard that a 33-year-old chef sustained a 'catastrophic bleed' with his left leg being 'mostly severed' after he was attacked by a man with a sword in a car park in Cobh, Co Cork. Dylan Scannell went on trial at a sitting of the Central Criminal Court in Cork on Tuesday charged with the murder of Ian Baitson in Eurospar car park in Newtown Road in Cobh in March 2024. The 30-year-old denies murder. However, he has pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Mr Baitson, who was a father of two, died at Cork University Hospital (CUH) on March 19th, 2024, four days after he was attacked in a car park about two minutes from his home. He had told his mother, Helen, that he was going to the shop and would be back in a few minutes. Shop worker Eric Thomas gave evidence that on the evening of March 15th, 2024, a person ran in to the shop and told him that a man was injured in the car park. READ MORE When he went out he saw a man, whom he recognised as Ian Baitson, lying on his stomach on the ground. He said that he and another man rolled Mr Baitson over. He noted that there was a 'lot of blood.' Mr Thomas said the left leg of the injured man was 'mostly severed.' He and others present used a belt to make a tourniquet. They tried to stop the bleeding with bandages. Dylan Scannell, of O'Rahilly Street in Cobh, Co Cork, at Midleton District Court. Photograph: Cork Courts Limited Another witness, Ron Ellis, said that he was parked in his car in the car park when he saw a man he didn't recognise arrive in a silver Octavia car. He said the car stopped by the bottle bank. Mr Ellis noticed that the car music was 'blaring'. He stated that a man whom he did not recognise got out of the car holding a sword and then proceeded to strike another man with it. 'I was in shock. The man on the ground started shouting and roaring for help. He [the assailant] vanished and the person on the ground started shouting for help. I approached him and saw a lot of blood. I tried to call 999 but I became frustrated with the operator. I ran in to the shop for help.' A third witness, emergency first responder Liam Leahy, said he was in Eurospar when he heard someone say a man outside had just had his leg chopped off. He grabbed his first aid bag from his car and rushed to the assistance of the injured man. A German student also assisted at the scene. A tourniquet was applied. Mr Leahy said he and the other men tried to stop a 'catastrophic bleed'. A doctor and two paramedic crews also attended at the scene. Dr Hugh Doran said when he arrived at the car park Ian Baitson was in cardiac arrest. He and the paramedics went to his assistance, ventilating him with oxygen and giving him cardiac massage. Mr Baitson was then taken by ambulance to hospital. Opening the case, prosecuting counsel Donal O'Sullivan SC said Dylan Scannell and Ian Baitson were known to each other. [ Cobh sword attack victim Ian Baitson remembered as a 'loveable rogue' at funeral Opens in new window ] 'It appears that there was a debt owed by Ian Baitson to Dylan Scannell being paid off bit by bit over a period of time.' It is alleged by the State that in the run-up to the meeting on March 15th, 2024, messages from Dylan Scannell to Ian Baitson became 'more threatening' in nature. Mr O'Sullivan said that the two men met in the back of the Eurospar complex at around 8.50pm with Mr Scannell allegedly getting out of a silver Skoda Octavia car. 'It is alleged that Dylan Scannell attacked and struck Ian Baitson with a sword, causing his death. The person who carried out the attack left immediately in the car.' Mr O'Sullivan alleges that in the aftermath of the attack the silver car was driven to a beach area near the mall in the town. He said that the car stopped in the Connolly Street area right next to the harbour. 'Subsequently, gardaí carried out a search in the Mall, a shingle-type beach, and a sword was found with a DNA match to Ian Baitson.' The case will continue on Wednesday. It is being presided over by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and is expected to last a week.
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Dylan Scannell hit Cobh chef with a sword over debt, murder trial told
A 30-year-old Cobh man got out of a car shortly before nine o'clock at night at a shopping centre car park to meet a man who owed him money and he struck him with a sword, it was alleged on Tuesday at the opening of a murder trial in Cork. Dylan Scannell of O'Rahilly Street, Cobh, County Cork, replied to the charge of murdering Ian Baitson, in Eurospar car park, Newtown Road, Cobh, on March 19, 2024: 'Not guilty to murder, guilty of manslaughter.' His trial before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of six men and six women is expected to go on until June 6 at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork. The date on the charge refers to March 19, 2024, where it is alleged that the deceased was fatally injured four days earlier. Prosecution senior counsel Donal O'Sullivan gave the jury an outline of the evidence anticipated in the case but stressed to them that this was not itself evidence. First, Mr O'Sullivan said that for a person to be guilty of murder they must intend to kill or to cause serious injury so that in this case the prosecution must prove that Dylan Scannell intended to kill Ian Baitson or to cause him serious injury. 'The accused man in front of you pleaded guilty to manslaughter but not murder. He accepts he caused the death but he did not have the requisite mental element of intention. 'The events which give rise to this are on March 15, 2024, just over a year ago, at a shopping centre/petrol station in an area of Cobh called Newtown. It is called Eurospar. It is alleged Dylan Scannell attacked and struck Ian Baitson with a sword causing his death. That is in essence what is alleged. 'The two men knew each other. It appears there was a debt owed by Ian Baitson to Dylan Scannell, being paid off bit by bit over a period of time. 'In the immediate aftermath a mobile phone was recovered at the scene with messages from a WhatsApp conversation between Dylan Scannell and Ian Baitson. You will see the messages. There are voice notes as well. In the run-up to the events of March 15 the messages from Dylan Scannell are coming in a more threatening way. 'There is going to be a CCTV montage… At about 8.50pm Ian Baitson left his mother's home which is very close. He went to the car park at the back of the complex, where there is one of these washing machine facilities… The court was told today that it appears Ian Baitson (pictured) owed a debt to Dylan Scannell. File picture "A car pulled up. A person got out and struck him with a sword. The person who was struck was Ian Baitson. The person who carried out the attack left immediately in the car. 'He was removed to hospital and passed away four days later. 'The Skoda Octavia was tracked by other cameras going to the car park. (Afterwards) it is tracked to various places. It returns to O'Rahilly Street but does not stop there. It goes to Connolly Street right next to the harbour. 'Subsequently, gardaí carried out a search in the Mall, Cobh, a shingle-type beach, and a sword was found (with a DNA match to Ian Baitson). 'The (rental) Skoda Octavia was returned a day or so early. A car mat was seized and blood which was that of the deceased was found.' Read More Jury sworn in as Cobh man denies murder but admits manslaughter of young chef
