THREE ACCUSED 'KNEW VICTIM WAS FOREIGNER'

THREE men accused of “brutally and savagely” beating a Croatian man to death on a Dublin street knew that their alleged victim was a foreign national when they chased him down, a barrister has told a jury at the Central Criminal Court.

- BY EOIN REYNOLDS

Seoirse O Dunlaing SC told the murder trial jury that 31-year-old Josip Strok’s status as a foreign national has relevance in the case of the three men accused of his murder.

Counsel said one of the accused, Mark Lee, 44, told gardai two days after the alleged assault that he had been walking “up and down with two dogs” outside an International Protection Accommodation Service centre “waiting on [a] foreign c**t attacking a kid with a knife”.

Mr O Dunlaing said the prosecution believes this comment is relevant to what the jury must consider.