LAST UPDATE | 3 Dec 2021

A ROMANIAN MAN in his late twenties has appeared before a special sitting of a Cork court charged in connection with the murder of a 64-year-old father of three in the city in December 2019.

Francis “Frankie” Dunne late of Churchfield Avenue, Knocknaheeny in Cork was found dead on the grounds of a derelict house in Boreenmanna Road in the city on 28 December 2019.

Detective Garda Alan McCarthy gave evidence of the arrest charge and caution. He said Ionut Cosmin Nicholescu said “I didn’t do that” when the charge was put to him following a caution. Nicholescu is charged that on a date unknown between the 27 and the 28 of December 2019 at Castle Greine in Boreenmanna Road in Cork city he did murder Frankie Dunne contrary to common law.

Detective Garda McCarthy said that he arrested Nicholescu at 3.37pm today at Dublin Airport. The 29-year-old was arrested on foot of a European Arrest Warrant.

Gardaíapplied for a remand in custody for Nicholescu who has an address in Branista Village, Branista Commune, Damovita in Romania. Judge Olann Kelleher remanded the defendant in custody.

Nicholescu will appear before the court again on 9 December by video link. Appropriate medical assistance will be given to the defendant whilst free legal aid was granted by Judge Kelleher following an application by Nicholescu’s solicitor Elaine Audley.

Audley said her client is unemployed.

Dunne was last seen alive on 27 December 2019 leaving Cork Simon’s high support homeless centre Clanmornin House on the Boreeenmanna Road on the southside of the city. He lived onsite with ten other formerly homeless people. He also received support from his family.

Meanwhile, at Dunne’s funeral mass at St Mary’s on the Hill church, in Knocknaheeny in Cork, his nieces Breda and Yvonne said that the family would forever cherish their memories of seeing Frankie the Christmas before he died.

Breda told mourners Frankie was a “character” who touched the lives of all he met. He loved horse racing, fixing broken phones and second-hand shops.