The jury in the trial of a Brazilian Deliveroo rider accused of murdering 16-year-old Josh Dunne during a fight over a stolen bike has begun its deliberations.
George Gonzaga Bento, who was living in Dublin 3 at the time, claimed he was acting in self-defence when he stabbed the Ballymun teenager in Dublin last year.
In his closing speech earlier this week, the prosecuting barrister, Sean Guerin SC, accused George Gonzaga Bento of being evasive and dishonest about what happened on East Wall Road on January 26th last year.
He claimed there was a clear intention on Mr Bento's part to either kill or cause serious harm to Josh Dunne - and he suggested that intention was evident in the way he repeatedly stabbed the 16yo while he was defending his friends.
Padraig Dwyer SC, who's defending Mr Bento, described his client as 'a good, honest and hardworking man' who made a mistake in trying to stop a crime that night.
He claimed he exercised his right to defend himself and his friend and said it was inconceivable that he’d ruin his life by acting as a vigilante.
The jurors have now begun their deliberations. Among the issues for them to consider is whether self-defence features in the case, and if so, whether it was justified and whether the force used was reasonable given the circumstances.
Reporting by Frank Greaney
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