Man ‘catastrophically’ injured in Leopardstown brawl dies in hospital

A 24-year-old man who sustained “catastrophic injuries” in a large-scale violent confrontation in Leopardstown, Dublin, at the weekend has died.Kevin Rostas (21) of Harrington Street, Dublin 8, and Cristian Demian (23) of Howth Road, Raheny, appeared before Judge Conor Fottrell in connection with the incident on Tuesday.Dún Laoghaire District Court heard they were accused of violent disorder at the South County Business Park in Sandyford on Saturday evening.Demian has an additional charge for assault causing harm to Siminic Rostas. Bail was denied, and more serious charges are anticipated.READ MOREThe judge heard at 12.59pm – just as a bail hearing for Demian was beginning – that Siminic Rostas’ life support had been switched off and he had died at Beaumont Hospital’s intensive care unit.Det Garda David Buckley and Det Garda Michael Doheny objected to bail.They told the court at 8.25pm on Saturday that officers received a report of a large-scale disturbance involving several males engaged in violence at an abandoned premises.Gardaí found three males – including Siminic Rostas – who were seriously injured and all of whom required hospitalisation.The court heard initial inquiries established that about 15 members of the Roma community had resided at the abandoned premises for several months.It was claimed the accused and three others called, stating they were there to collect personal property from someone at the premises.The detectives said there was a verbal dispute that escalated suddenly to violence, the subject of which remains the subject of the Garda investigation.The judge heard a sustained physical confrontation involving the defendant and three males against four other males who were occupants of the premises followed.CCTV footage captured significant portions of the incident and has shown lethal weapons and implements were used during the fight, including poles, sticks and shovels.Kevin Rostas and Demian were clearly visible on CCTV actively participating in the physical confrontation, the court heard, and Demian identified himself in the footage.The detective stated Kevin Rostas could be seen striking other males on a number of occasions. He maintained he acted in self-defence.Det Garda Doheny said Demian struck the severely injured man twice with a shovel, “rendering him unconscious and inflicting catastrophic injuries”. The court heard the now deceased man was also struck after he was unconscious.The court also heard gardaí were concerned the incident had escalated rapidly into a confrontation involving multiple individuals with weapons.It was alleged one of the hospitalised men has received several threatening messages on his phone, stating that there would be “retribution”, with the phrases “this is not the end of it” and “your brother is next”.Violent disorder and assault causing harm carry a maximum sentence of 10 years, and the detective referred to the seriousness of the injuries.Kevin Rostas was not represented due to the ongoing solicitors’ strike, which has seen solicitors withdraw their services in District Court legal aid cases over payment reforms.Det Garda Buckley said Rostas had connections to Romania and travelled there annually.Both men had separate bail hearings and were assisted by an interpreter.Rostas was adamant he would not leave Ireland, and said he has been living in Ireland for 12 years. His reply to his charge was: “I didn’t threaten.”The judge held that gardaí had established flight-risk grounds that the pair were likely to evade justice.They were remanded in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on September 8th.A third man, Augustin Rostas, has appeared in court faced with the same charge and allegations. The 22-year-old, with addresses at Convent Place, Hatch Street Lower, and Kevin Street, Dublin 2, was granted conditional bail. He was remanded in custody pending a €1,000 lodgement and an address check. On taking up bail he must have no contact with witnesses. He will appear again on Friday.