Man appears in court charged with murder of English tourist

A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of an English tourist who died two months after being injured in the Temple Bar area of Dublin last year.

Darragh O'Brien, 22, of Beechfield Heights, Clonee, Dublin, was initially charged with assault causing harm to Anthony Herron, related to an attack in the early hours of 21 August at Temple Bar Square.

O'Brien was granted conditional bail two days later and appeared again at Dublin District Court on Friday, when the case was upgraded to a murder charge.

A Garda (Irish police officer) said the accused made "no reply" when charged.

The Garda informed the judge that the Director of Public Prosecutions authorised the withdrawal of the assault charge and that the sole count of murder was to proceed on indictment to the Central Criminal Court.

Herron, a father who lived in London and was aged in his 40s, had just left a local pub when the incident occurred.

He was initially taken to St James's Hospital on the night of the assault but was then transferred to Beaumont Hospital to undergo emergency specialist surgery.

He was later repatriated to the UK, where he died in October.

O'Brien could not apply for bail on Friday, given the nature of the charge, which requires an application to be brought before the High Court.

His solicitor, Holly Laher, asked that her client, who has yet to enter a plea, be remanded in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on Thursday.

Legal aid was granted.

Prosecutors must complete a book of evidence and serve it on him before a return-for-trial order is granted.