A Dublin man became involved in a late-night city-centre melee to even the odds between two factions who were fighting before another man lost his life, a court has been told.
Gardai were satisfied Kevin O'Hara had no connection with either faction until one of the antagonists shouted: "There is four of them and there is three of us, give us a hand." O'Hara weighed into the fight, saying: "There is four of us now, there is four of us now." O'Hara (20), Whitestown Avenue, Mullhuddart, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to violent disorder at Westmoreland Street on July 5th, 1996, when the US aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy, was visiting Dun Laoghaire.
The case was adjourned to June 25th next.
The court was told there was no suggestion or implication that O'Hara was responsible for the killing of Mr Brian Ruth (19), of Dromcara Avenue, Tallaght. Judge Frank O'Donnell agreed to hear Mr Ruth's father at the June hearing.
Det Sgt Oliver McEnerney said the city centre was packed with people who had been out to Dun Laoghaire earlier to view the JFK.
O'Hara had been drinking in a pub on O'Connell Bridge when the fight started. He had no connection with those involved until called upon to make up the numbers for one faction.
The fight, which involved fists, kicks and bottles, took up both sides of the street as it travelled up Westmoreland Street to the Bank of Ireland near Trinity College, and back again.
Mr Ruth, one of the faction members, collapsed at the scene and was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.
Det Sgt McEnerney said there was evidence that O'Hara had hit Mr Ruth during the melee, but there was no suggestion he was responsible for the fatality.
The detective agreed with Mr Michael McDowell SC, defending, that a faction member accidentally brushing past one of the opposite side in a pub could have been the initial reason for the fight. Both sides had drink taken.