THE MURDER of two men with a screwdriver in Dublin in 2008 was “brutal and savage”, Mr Justice Liam McKechnie told the Central Criminal Court yesterday.
Handing down two mandatory life sentences to David Curran (19) of Lissadel Green, Drimnagh, the judge said there was something profoundly sinister in the way the killings were carried out.
Curran murdered Pawel Kalite (28) and Marius Szwaijkos (27) outside their home on Benbulben Road, Drimnagh, on February 23rd, 2008.
The two Polish mechanics died when Curran stabbed them both in the head with a screwdriver. The attack followed a row between Mr Kalite and other youths outside a local chip shop.
Seán Keogh (21), Vincent Street West, Inchicore, who was acquitted of the murders, had earlier pleaded guilty to assault. He had kicked Mr Kalite in the head as he fell to the ground. He is due to be sentenced later this month.
Mr Justice McKechnie said the murders had occurred after “an incident of almost meaningless consequence”. The men had not even been involved in a scuffle with Curran, he said. The judge said there was something profoundly sinister not only in what Curran did, but in how he did it.
“With lethal accuracy Mr Curran aimed at the most vulnerable part of one’s body, the temple; then by a single blow which penetrated the skull of Pawel Kalite, he caused his death,” the judge said. “With the same lethal accuracy he aimed it at the same point and in the same way he murdered Marius Szwaijkos.”
Drawing on evidence given by State Pathologist Prof Marie Cassidy during the course of the trial, the judge said it would take great force to penetrate the skull and cause death.
To remove the screwdriver and then do the same again “leaves a chilling and truly disturbing feeling as to what kind of a person would do this brutal and savage” thing, he said. It could well be described as sadistic.
Within a few hours of the murders, Curran “was scheming his way out of it”, the judge said. Phones were gotten rid of, alibis were concocted, and he then “tried to lay it off on Keogh”.
“From that time he did nothing but strategise his way out of it, without pause for thought,” Mr Justice McKechnie said. “Unhesitatingly and without any reservation, I wholly agree with the verdict of the jury.” He offered his condolences to the families of the murdered men and passed the mandatory life sentences on Curran, to run concurrently.
Through his lawyers, Mr Curran apologised to his victims’ families.
