A jury has returned a verdict of unlawful killing at an inquest into the death of a 31-year-old Dublin man who was knocked over by a car and dragged along a road in Co Dublin more than seven years ago.
Stephen Lynch, who had an address in Saggart but was originally from Tallaght, was struck by a silver Ford Focus at Brookview Close, Tallaght on April 13th, 2017, and was later pronounced dead at the scene.
No one has ever been charged over Mr Lynch’s death, and the case remains a live investigation.
Dublin District Coroner’s Court heard evidence on Thursday that Garda investigations into the death encountered a lack of co-operation from witnesses.
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Garda Christina Lawless said gardaí believe residents in the Brookview area fear the “persons of interest” in the case, and that “local intelligence” suggests that the persons of interest “have a fearsome reputation and are hardened criminals”.
Garda Lawless said that shortly after gardaí began interviewing witnesses as part of a cold case review into Mr Lynch’s death last year, the persons of interest – who were previously “conspicuous” in their absence from the area – reappeared in Brookview.
“It is not hard to believe that this return was a way of reminding people that they were still around,” she said. “Many persons were approached but declined to have any involvement in the investigation.”
The court heard that, on the date in question, Mr Lynch spoke with persons unknown in the Ford Focus . Shortly afterwards, the car reversed, before driving forward, knocking him over. Mr Lynch, trapped under the car, was then dragged for more than 16 metres along the road, the court heard.
The two occupants of the Ford Focus fled the estate in a different car, a wine-coloured VW Polo. It was later found abandoned in Drimnagh.
Garda witnesses told the court that initial reports from the scene suggested that Mr Lynch was driven over deliberately. Garda Edward Davin, a retired forensic road collision investigator, agreed with Aedan McGovern SC, for Mr Lynch’s mother, Vera, that the driver of the car must have known that someone was trapped underneath the vehicle.
A number of people were arrested, detained and interviewed following Mr Lynch’s death, but they all replied “no comment” during interview, Garda Lawless told the court.
Following the initial investigations into Mr Lynch’s death, gardaí sent a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) with the belief that circumstantial evidence available “was capable of sustaining a charge of murder”.
The DPP, however, did not direct a murder prosecution, stating that the evidence presented was not sufficient to support the assertion Mr Lynch was driven over deliberately. A cold case review began in July 2021. A second file was subsequently sent to the DPP, but no prosecution was directed.
Mr Lynch’s cause of death was recorded as head injuries due to a road traffic collision.
Mr Lynch’s family members broke into applause on the announcement of the inquest jury’s unlawful killing verdict, before tearfully embracing each other.
Speaking outside the courthouse, Vera Lynch said she hoped the verdict would be “the first step towards justice for Stephen”.
Ms Lynch described those who did not co-operate with investigating gardaí as “cowards”.
“May it never land on your door,” she said.
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