Neno Dolmajian was brutally attacked by a group of men on the street who kicked his head “like a football” before his death.
A tourist was savagely beaten to death on a street after his head was “treated like a football”, the victim’s sister has claimed in court.
Neno Dolmajian, 42, had come to Ireland from Canada to see Liam Gallagher play. However, the solo traveller was brutally beaten on O’Connell Street in Dublin on June 23, 2024, after encountering a group of men.
Though treated in intensive care, he tragically died from his injuries at Mater Hospital nine days after the assault on July 2, reports Dublin Live.
His grief-stricken sister, Maral Dolmajian told Central Criminal Court that her brother had the “soul and sensitivity of an artist”, was curious about the world and loved to learn as much as he could.
Ms Dolmajian said he was kicked at full force in the face by one of the men after an argument broke out. She added the loss has completely destroyed her family.
Ms Dolmajian said: “My parents have always gone above and beyond to help family and friends. They have always been the most generous with their time and energy. The consequence of all this goodness, all these good deeds, was their only son being killed. Their son who wouldn’t even hurt a fly. Their son who had never gotten into fights, who got on with everyone and was loved by everyone.”
She said bad things happen to good people, and her brother was a “good person, kind, funny, thoughtful and a joy to be around. He made people feel seen and valued. Everyone loved him.”
Ms Dolmajian said she lives with the “unbearable guilt” that she was not able to keep her brother safe and thinks of his final moments every day: “How he was punched and shoved to the ground and kicked in the head at full force… I think about how Ionut Danca treated my brother’s head like a football. I think about how unnecessary and violent it was. I wonder what kind of person would do that, and why? Why would they be that violent towards someone they just met?”
Her brother’s life had value, she said, and he did not deserve to die in the manner he did. “He deserved to live a long and happy life, but his life was taken from him, it was taken from us.”
She asked Mr Justice Paul McDermott to impose a sentence on his killer that reflects the violence her brother suffered and acknowledges the family’s loss.
Ionut Danca (25) pleaded guilty last year to the unlawful killing of Neno Dolmajian on July 2, 2024 at O’Connell St Upper.
Danca’s co-accused, Madalin Ghiuzan (24), pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Dolmajian, causing him harm at Cathal Brugha St, Dublin 1.
Danca, a construction worker from Romania but with an address at Rathdown Square, North Circular Road, Dublin 7 had previously been charged with murder. Ghiuzan, originally from Romania but with an address at Summerhill Parade, Dublin 1, had a manslaughter charge brought against him.
Following the guilty pleas, the murder charge against Danca and the manslaughter charge against Ghiuzan are not being pursued by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Sgt Donal Byrne today told prosecutor Seoirse Ó Dúnlaing SC that the victim was a Canadian national of Armenian heritage. He had an interest in music and playing the guitar and was travelling alone. He arrived in Ireland in June 2024, was staying at the Ivy Exchange and was due to leave on July 2.
On the day he suffered the fatal injury, Mr Dolmijan was drinking and after midnight, he encountered a number of males, including the two defendants, outside the Living Room nightclub on Cathal Brugha St. There was a row during which Ghiuzan punched and pushed Mr Domijian, causing him to fall to the ground.
He remained on the ground for more than one minute and struggled to get back to his feet, the garda said. Mr Dolmijian then followed the group to O’Connell St where there was a further series of interactions in which Mr Dolmijian was again pushed to the ground before Danca delivered a “running kick straight to the face” of the deceased.
Eoin Lawlor SC, for Danca, said his client was initially trying to act as a peacemaker and displayed no aggression. He said something changed either as a result of Mr Dolmajian striking the accused or insulting his family.
He said his client accepts that what he did was wrong and has written a “sincere apology” to the deceased’s family. He asked the court to consider a reference by Danca’s employer describing him as having an “exemplary work ethic”. He has no previous convictions, wants to create a good life for himself and his partner and is unlikely to come before the courts again, Mr Lawlor said.
Morgan Shelley SC, for Ghiuzan, said but for the “extremely tragic” events that followed his client’s assault on Mr Dolmajian, his case might have been dealt with in the lower courts. He asked Mr Justice McDermott to consider imposing a fully suspended sentence. The court will deliver sentence next Tuesday, February 17.