Courts Dundalk murder accused unable to attend court hearing Close 1/1 Mohamed Morei Picture: Gerry Mooney Gallery 1 Mohamed Morei Picture: Gerry Mooney

A TEENAGER, who has been receiving ongoing psychiatric treatment since he was charged with the murder of a Japanese man in a stabbing in Dundalk in January, was unable to attend another court hearing on Thursday.

Mohamed Morei (18) was remanded in custody on January 4 after being charged with the murder of 24-year-old Yosuke Sasaki. He was unable to attend the four subsequent hearings and could not appear at his sixth scheduled hearing today at Cloverhill District Court.

He has been receiving ongoing medical care in the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) in Dundrum.

Judge Vincent Blake further remanded him in custody in his absence and adjourned the case until March 22 next.

Six weeks ago the court was handed a letter from a consultant psychiatrist at the CMH, stating that Mr Morei would not be able to attend court until mid-February.

Mr Sasaki, from Ebina, west of Tokyo, was fatally stabbed on Avenue Road shortly before 9am on Jan. 3 last.

He had worked at National Pen, a call centre in Dundalk, Co. Louth and had lived in Ireland for the past year.

Following his death, an Irish man was injured when he was stabbed a short time later at a nearby location. At 9.40am, gardai received a report that another local man had been injured in an attack at Seatown Place.

Mr Morei, whose nationality has not yet been confirmed, was initially remanded in custody by Dundalk District Court on January 4 after he was charged with the murder of Mr Sasaki.

Garda Inspector Martin Beggy said at that hearing that the youth's nationality had not yet been undetermined.

If he seeks bail this application will have to be made in the High Court, because he is facing a murder charge.

In the week after the incident, the people of Dundalk gathered in the town centre for a candle lit vigil in memory of Mr Sasaki's life. In a letter from his parents read aloud by local councillor John McGahon, they said that their son had been very happy in Ireland.

A fund-raising drive was also launched by local people to help pay for the repatriation of his remains.

Online Editors