A 28-YEAR-OLD MAN has been remanded in custody after he was charged with the murder of his friend who was stabbed to death on Dublin’s O’Connell Street.

Peter Donnelly, who was from Kilkenny, had moved to Dublin last summer and was residing at various addresses and hostels, and sleeping rough across the capital.

Donnelly, who studied health and fitness, died after he sustained serious injuries outside a premises on Upper O’Connell St at about 1.40am on Tuesday last.

Unemployed Damien Singleton, originally from Cork, but of no fixed abode was charged with Donnelly’s murder and production of a knife in connection with the incident.

A garda patrolling the district responded and attempted to render first aid, assisted by members of the public. A description was circulated and a second garda on beat in the Marlborough Street area arrested another man about 15 minutes later.

Donnelly was pronounced dead shortly after he was taken to the Mater Hospital. His body was removed to Dublin City Morgue in Whitehall for a post-mortem.

Gardaí appealed to the public for information while the O’Connell Street area was sealed off.

‘Severe hand injuries’

The arrested man had his detention at Store Street Garda station pro-longed so he could receive hospital treatment to a hand injury and undergo surgery.

He was brought before Judge Bryan Smyth at Dublin District Court today.

Dressed in a green T-shirt, grey trousers and runners, he sat silently throughout the hearing with his left forearm in a cast.

Detective Sergeant Brendan Casey told the court the accused was formally cautioned and made no reply when he was arrested for the purpose of being charged at 7.03pm on Thursday “for the offence of common law murder”.

The defendant was charged just before 8pm, the court was told.

The charges were read over to him and Singleton “made no reply”.

The district court cannot adjudicate on bail in murder cases.

Detective Sergeant Casey applied for a remand in custody and asked for the defendant to appear at Cloverhill District Court on 18 June next.

Solicitor Tracy Horan, for Singleton, consented and said her client would appear via video-link at the next hearing. She asked the court to direct medical attention in custody.

Horan said, “My client, Mr Singleton, had very severe hand injuries and he needed surgery the day before yesterday.” Legal aid was granted after a statement of means was handed in to court.

Judge Smyth remanded Singleton in custody and said he presumed the defendant would get treatment.

A book of evidence has yet to be prepared and a bail application will have to be made in the High Court.