Gardaí have identified a number of people they believe have crucial information to share about the murder of Jamie Bailey (38), a Limerick man who died after being stabbed in Dublin at the weekend.
Though the victim was known to gardaí, as he had a lengthy criminal record, detectives suspect his murder in the early hours of Sunday was related to difficulties in his personal life. However, it remains unclear if the fatal attack at Blackhorse Place, Dublin 7, was spur of the moment or if some degree of planning was involved.
Bailey, who had a number of children and had lived in Dublin for some time, had been involved in a bitter personal dispute that had worsened recently. Gardaí suspect he was attacked by people in his wider social circle, or certainly by someone who was known to him.
The deceased man had addiction issues during his life and had been jailed a number of times. He had convictions for a wide range of crimes including burglary, theft, criminal damage, public order and road traffic offences. Bailey had also been caught in stolen cars after they were pursued by gardaí.
The murder investigation team, based at the Bridewell Garda station, believes several people were at the scene at the time of the killing and that they can aid the investigation.
Gardaí have been told by witnesses they were alerted to an issue outside an apartment building close to the scene when a loud argument between a number of people began. This resulted in Bailey being stabbed, with the male suspect fleeing the scene.
However, gardaí believe a person who was living in the area was also present when the dispute broke out and when they are spoken to, they will have a clearer picture of how the events leading to the murder unfolded.
Gardaí have also appealed to anyone who was in the area of Blackhorse Avenue between 2am and 3.30am to contact them. They are especially keen to speak to anyone who was recording footage, including dashcam, at or around the scene at Blackhorse Place-Blackhorse Avenue.
Gardaí also conducted house-to-house inquiries in the area, including in the apartment block close to the scene, on Monday to find more witnesses.
Footage recorded by CCTV cameras in the area was being harvested in the hope that the fatal attack, or the killer, was captured. However, no arrests had been made by Monday evening, and the man gardaí suspect carried out the stabbing remained unaccounted for and was being sought.
The victim was discovered injured on the pavement at Blackhorse Place, and the emergency services were called. However, while paramedics attended to him at the scene before he was taken by ambulance to the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, he was pronounced dead there.
The scene was sealed off and securely preserved overnight before being examined by the Garda Technical Bureau on Monday.
The results of the postmortem examination, to establish the cause and time of death, will dictate the course of the investigation, gardaí said. However, a murder inquiry was commenced immediately after Bailey’s death was confirmed.
“This investigation is being co-ordinated from an incident room at the Bridewell Garda station under the direction of a senior investigating officer,” a Garda statement said of the murder inquiry.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Bridewell on (01) 666 8200 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.
Cabra/Glasnevin councillor Séamas McGrattan said he was shocked by the fatal attack on Sunday morning.
“Knife crime has become a real problem in our city. We need an urgent and serious response,” the Sinn Féin councillor said.
“People must have the right to walk the streets of Dublin safely and without fear.”
He called for increased Garda presence on the ground and policing to deter crime and antisocial behaviour from taking place.