Alex Coughlan Suffered Choking & Suffocation, Accused Referred To Him as PREY 2 & Wore His Ring for 2 Days
The High Court heard that one of the accused males was found wearing a gold ring -originally given to Alex Coughlan by his father - at the time of his arrest on May 19, two days after the fatal assault.
During the incident, the 37-year-old victim suffered severe bruising, a traumatic head injury, and clear evidence of choking and suffocation.
Gardaí revealed that Mr. Coughlan’s phone number was stored in the contact list of one of the co-accused under the designation Prey 2 signifying that the perpetrators viewed him strictly as a target (who is PREY 1?). Defense counsel Ronan Prendergast established during the proceedings that absolutely NO DIRECT MESSAGES HAD BEEN EXCHANGED between his specific client and the deceased.
The official legal and police record establishes him entirely as an innocent victim of a brutal assault, contradicting any unverified rumors circulating on social media. It is clear this was a predatory and premeditated attack.
The state contends that the interaction was an extortion and robbery plot orchestrated under entirely false pretences. The two accused males, alleged to be aged 16 and 17, are said to have blocked Mr. Coughlan's path as he walked down Mill Road in Blanchardstown, West Dublin, on May 17.
An initial bail application had been rejected in the District Court on May 20. In a fresh application before Judge Seán Gillane at the High Court in Cloverhill, the younger accused sought release. His legal counsel noted that the youth had been attending school, was accompanied to the proceedings by his father - who apparently felt offering a €1,000 cash surety was enough to get his son home. Taking the state's objections into account, Judge Gillane denied the bail application.
When the attack on May 17th began, the second male delivered a punch that knocked Mr. Coughlan to the ground. Though the victim attempted to flee, both males pursued him, delivering a sustained barrage of kicks and punches. A witness observed Mr. Coughlan on his knees, weeping and pleading with the two males but did not apparently intervene.
Video evidence recovered as a brief snippet from the 16-year-old’s mobile phone corroborated this account, capturing the victim on his knees begging for his life just before the camera panned to display the teenager's face. During the attack, the co-accused reportedly shouted, “I will smash the f*** out of you, you f*****g little b****,” while the 16-year-old demanded the victim hand over his gold ring.
Garda Sergeant Emma Ryan stated that the victim sustained no defensive wounds, but bore extensive scrapes on his elbows and knees that matched the accounts of him being forced into a kneeling position.
Mr. Coughlan was discovered unconscious on Mill Road and transported to the hospital in critical condition, where he was pronounced dead three days later. A subsequent post-mortem examination officially attributed his death to traumatic head injuries.
Minutes after the assault, the victim's AIB and Revolut bank cards were utilised at local commercial outlets. Following Mr. Coughlan's death, the State upgraded the legal response, charging both males under Section 4 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act for causing serious harm, alongside charges for the theft of his wallet, bank cards, and the €300 gold ring.
Authorities confirmed that a comprehensive case file is currently being compiled for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) with the intention of introducing more severe charges.
The killing of Alexander Coughlan RIP has some added twists in court today. The two accused are 16- and 17-years old and not both 16 as originally reported, the minor difference isn't explained.
Alex Coughlan postmortem indicates he died after the beating he suffered at the hand of his assailants.
The accused are charged with assault, robbery and EXTORTION, but the charges may be amended or upgraded.
"The court heard it was an arranged meeting but set up under false pretences for the purpose of committing robbery and extortion offences, and no other motive"
The court has confirmed the words heard on the 5-second clip widely circulated last week "I will smash the fuck out of you, you fucking little bitch"
It was previously reported the two accused are of a Muslim and immigrant background.
No word on Alex Coughlan phone and watch. The items allegedly robbed comprised a golden ring, a wallet with two bankcards - AIB and Revolut.
We have heard nothing that might justify the gratuitous violence and sadism on display in the video, and reported by witnesses.
Bail has been refused for the two who remain in custody, presumably in Oberstown borstal.There is no plea from either yet.
@courtsnewsIRL Dreadful sentence. Should be at least 5 years for each victim. His repeat offending should have massively increased the sentence. What is wrong with our justice system 😪