Gardai in Dun Laoghaire have begun a murder inquiry following the death of a man two days after an assault outside a night-club. Mr Joseph O'Toole (22), of Rockfort Park, Blackrock, Co Dublin, died yesterday morning in Beaumont Hospital 48 hours after he was attacked by another man outside the Purty Loft, a night-club attached to the Purty Kitchen bar in Old Dunleary, Dun Laoghaire.
Detectives are looking for the assailant whom they describe as in his early 20s and of thin to average build. He was about 5 ft 8 in with blondish hair. He fled the scene after the assault.
The incident occurred at about 2.30 a.m. on Sunday when Mr O'Toole was standing outside the club. He was assaulted by a man who punched him twice. He fell to the ground, hit his head off the pavement and became unconscious.
Mr O'Toole was taken by ambulance to St Michael's Hospital, Dun Laoghaire. Three hours later he was transferred to Beaumont Hospital, where he was put on a life-support machine. He died shortly before 4 a.m. yesterday. A post-mortem was carried out later yesterday by the State Pathologist, Dr John Harbison.
Gardai have appealed for witnesses. They believe there were between 200 and 300 people in the night-club before the assault and there were also a large number of people outside who might have witnessed the incident. They have already received statements from several women.
Mr O'Toole's death brings the number of murders in the State this year to 19, including four women. On June 21st Ms Sinead Kelly (21), was stabbed in a knife attack at the Grand Canal, Dublin.
