Gardaí consult DPP over stabbing
Senior officers were last night consulting with the DPP on whether or not to bring charges against a man arrested for the fatal stabbing of a 63-year-old father in south Dublin.
Gerard Fortune received a knife wound to his neck at his home on Rutland Grove, Crumlin, at around 8pm on Sunday.
The attack is understood to have occurred inside the terraced property.
The assailant afterwards stole a car and drove at speed across the city to Blanchardstown in north west Dublin.
Gardaí tracked his car down 20 minutes later and managed to arrest him and take him into custody.
The man is known to the deceased and there were no signs of forced entry at the house.
His daughters were comforted at the scene by neighbours. One daughter described her father as a “lovely man”, who would be missed dearly.
She said her father didn’t deserve to die the way he did.
One neighbour expressed his shock at what happened but said he didn’t hear any noise.
He described the deceased as a “quiet man” who “kept to himself”.
Gardaí placed large plastic sheets over the driveway and the outside pavement, as well as over the car parked in the driveway, in order to preserve any potential evidence.
Mr Fortune was in a long-term relationship with Eileen Lambe, and they lived in the house together and had a number of children.
He had previously been married to another woman and had a number of children with her.
The deceased is understood to have worked in nearby St James’s Hospital.
He had been taken there by ambulance after neighbours rang 999. He was pronounced dead a short time later at the hospital.
Officers from Sundrive Road Garda Station set up a murder investigation.
The suspect was detained at nearby Crumlin Garda Station for questioning under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. This allows for 24 hours in custody, excluding sleep breaks.
Speaking at Sundrive Road Garda Station, Superintendent Michael Cryan made an appeal to the public for assistance.
“We are appealing to anyone who was in the Rutland Grove / Clogher Road area of Dublin 12 between 8pm and 8.15pm on Sunday, August 19, 2018 to come forward.
“We are also trying to trace the movements of a Red Toyota Yaris, described as a four-door hatchback with L plates and partial registration 04-WW, that was driven from the scene at Rutland Grove at about 8pm before it was recovered at approximately 8.20pm at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown.
“We would also appeal to anyone with dashcam footage from the Rutland Grove or Connolly Hospital areas in and around the specified times to make it available to investigators.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact the incident room at Sundrive Road Garda Station 01-666 6600, or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111.
