Siminic Rostas(Image: Irish Mirror)
Last Updated on 15 September 2026 by Watchdog Witness
Introduction: A Death Foretold in Threats
On the evening of Saturday, August 29, 2026, Gardaí received a call that would end in tragedy. At approximately 8:25pm, officers were dispatched to an abandoned premises at the South County Business Park in Leopardstown, Dublin 18, following reports of a “large-scale disturbance involving several males engaged in violence” .
What they found was carnage. Three men lay seriously injured, all requiring hospitalisation. Among them was 24-year-old Siminic Rostas, who had suffered what would later be described in court as “catastrophic injuries” .
He never recovered. On September 1, 2026, just before 1pm, Siminic Rostas’s life support was switched off at Beaumont Hospital’s intensive care unit. He was pronounced dead .
But this was not simply a fight that got out of hand. It was a confrontation that had been brewing for months, involving a hidden community living in an abandoned building, allegations of retribution, and threats that continue to this day.
The Abandoned Building: A Community in the Shadows
The court heard evidence that established a stark reality: approximately 15 people, members of the Roma community, had been residing at the abandoned premises for several months .
This was not a temporary encampment. It was a settled community living in a building that was never meant for habitation, hidden from public view in an industrial park. The people living there were vulnerable, marginalised, and largely invisible to the wider society around them.
The court heard that on the evening of August 29, a group arrived at the premises “stating they were there to collect personal property from someone at the premises” . What began as a verbal dispute “escalated suddenly into a physical confrontation” .
The exact subject of the dispute “remains the subject of the Garda investigation” .
The Violence: “Lethal Weapons and Implements”
The scale and ferocity of the violence shocked even seasoned investigators. The court heard that CCTV footage captured significant portions of the incident, showing “lethal weapons and implements used during the fight, including poles, sticks and shovels” .
The confrontation was not a momentary scuffle. It was described as a “sustained physical confrontation” involving the accused and three associates against four other males who were occupants of the premises .
Detective Garda Michael Doheny told the court that one man, Cristian Demian (23) of Howth Road, Raheny, struck Siminic Rostas twice with a shovel, “rendering him unconscious and inflicting catastrophic injuries” .
The court heard a detail that is particularly disturbing: the deceased was struck again after he was already unconscious .
Demian, a father of three and a metal worker, has been charged with violent disorder and assault causing harm to Siminic Rostas. Bail was denied, and the court heard that more serious charges are anticipated .
The Accused: Who Are They?
The First Appearances
On Tuesday, September 1, two men appeared before Judge Conor Fottrell at Dún Laoghaire District Court, sitting at the CCJ complex in central Dublin .
Kevin Rostas (21) of Harrington Street, Dublin 8 appeared charged with violent disorder. A father of one, he was described as a construction worker who has lived in Ireland for 12 years and went to school here. He maintained he acted in self-defence. His reply to the charge was: “I didn’t threaten” .
Cristian Demian (23) of Howth Road, Raheny faced violent disorder and assault causing harm. He had lived in Ireland since 2009 or 2010, had parents, children, and a partner here, and was in full-time employment. He also raised self-defence, telling Gardaí he “didn’t go there to fight.” His employer of eight years gave evidence describing him as “pleasant, dependable and good with customers” .
Both men were denied bail. Judge Fottrell held that Gardaí had established flight-risk grounds .
The Subsequent Arrests and Charges
The investigation moved quickly. By September 8, two more men—aged in their 20s and 40s—were arrested in Dublin, bringing the total to six. Both were released without charge, with files to be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions .
On September 12 and 13, further arrests followed. A man in his late teens was arrested and charged. A man in his 40s was also arrested and detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 .
By September 13, eight people had been arrested in connection with the investigation .
The Bail Hearing That Revealed More
On Monday, September 14, two more men appeared at Dún Laoghaire District Court: Gratian Rostas (47) of North Circular Road and Marcel Rostas (19) of McAuley Park. Both were granted bail with strict conditions .
The court heard new details:
- Gratian Rostas, a former refuse and agricultural worker currently on social welfare, allegedly had a hatchet during the incident .
- Marcel Rostas, a teenager who came to Ireland a decade ago and left school in fifth year, allegedly beat a man with a metal pole .
- Neither is accused of causing the fatal injuries .
Judge Fottrell granted bail on conditions including: Gratian Rostas to lodge €1,000, Marcel Rostas to pay €3,000, both to abide by curfews and sign on at Garda stations .
The Threats: “This Is Not the End of It”
Perhaps the most chilling aspect of the case is the evidence of ongoing threats and intimidation.
The court heard that one of the hospitalised men received several threatening messages on his phone, stating that there would be “retribution”. The messages included the phrases: “this is not the end of it” and “your brother is next” .
Gardaí raised concerns during the earlier hearings about “the possibility of further intimidation” and the seriousness of the violence .
The Victim: Siminic Rostas
Siminic Rostas was 24 years old. He was Romanian-born and part of the Roma community living at the abandoned premises .
In the hours before he died, photographs were posted by family and relatives on open-source social media accounts. They showed him critically ill in Beaumont Hospital, surrounded by medical equipment .
He had been in intensive care for more than 48 hours before his life support was switched off .
The Investigation: Ongoing and Expanding
The Garda investigation is far from over. As of September 13, the following had occurred:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| August 29 | Violent disorder at South County Business Park; three men hospitalised |
| August 31 | Augustin Rostas (22) charged with violent disorder |
| September 1 | Siminic Rostas dies; Kevin Rostas and Cristian Demian charged |
| September 8 | Two further arrests; both released without charge |
| September 12 | Man in late teens arrested and charged |
| September 13 | Man in his 40s arrested; total arrests reach eight |
Gardaí have appealed for witnesses and anyone with camera footage—including dash-cam—who was in or around Vantage Apartments, Central Park, Leopardstown, the South County Business Park, and the Leopardstown Road areas between 8:00pm and 9:00pm on Saturday 29th August 2026 to come forward .
The Unanswered Questions
This case raises profound questions that demand answers:
- How did 15 people come to be living in an abandoned building in one of Dublin’s most affluent business parks for months without intervention?
- What was the dispute about? The court heard the subject “remains the subject of the Garda investigation” .
- Why were threats of retribution made, and are they still being made? The court heard one injured man received messages saying “your brother is next” .
- What is the connection between the accused and the deceased? Several share the surname Rostas, but the relationships have not been clarified.
- Will there be more arrests? The investigation is ongoing, and Gardaí have confirmed files are being prepared for the DPP .
Conclusion: A Death That Should Not Have Happened
Siminic Rostas died on September 1, 2026. He was 24 years old. He was living in an abandoned building because he had nowhere else to go. He was killed in a confrontation that involved shovels, poles, sticks, and a hatchet. He was struck after he was already unconscious.
The men accused of his death have the right to a fair trial. But the community they came from—and the community that lived alongside them in that abandoned building—deserve answers.
Watchdog Witness will continue to follow this investigation. If you have information about this case, or about the conditions in which vulnerable communities are living in Ireland, we want to hear from you.
Sources and Citations
- Irish Mirror – “Two men due in court over violent disorder connected to death of Siminic Rostas” (September 13, 2026)
- The Irish Times – “Two further arrests after fatal violent incident in Leopardstown” (September 8, 2026)
- Irish Mirror – “Two further arrests after death of Siminic Rostas (24) in Leopardstown” (September 8, 2026)
- Garda.ie – “13/09/2026 Update (6) Arrests and Court Appearance: Incident of Violent Disorder, Leopardstown, Dublin 18” (September 13, 2026)
- The Journal – “Men in court on violent disorder charges linked to fatal row in Leopardstown” (September 13, 2026)
- Garda.ie – “14/09/2026 Update (7) Court Appearance: Incident of Violent Disorder, Leopardstown” (September 13, 2026)
- RTE.ie – “Bail for two men accused of disorder before man’s death” (September 13, 2026)
- The Irish Times – “Man injured in Leopardstown brawl dies in Beaumont Hospital” (August 31, 2026)
- Irish Mirror – “Man charged over ‘large-scale disturbance’ at Roma camp in Leopardstown” (August 30, 2026)
- The Journal – “Man charged over violent disorder at business park in south Dublin” (August 30, 2026)
- Irish Mirror – “Leopardstown attack victim dies as family post hospital photo hours before he lost fight for life” (August 31, 2026)
- The Irish Independent – “Man dies from ‘catastrophic’ injuries after struck in head with shovel in Dublin business park brawl” (August 31, 2026)
- Kfm Radio – “Man Dies After Violent Disorder Incident In Leopardstown Over The Weekend” (August 31, 2026)
Disclaimer
Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available court records, press releases, and reports from reputable news outlets. All individuals are presumed innocent of any criminal wrongdoing unless proven otherwise in a court of law. The information contained herein does not constitute legal advice and is provided for informational and journalistic purposes only. Watchdog Witness does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information presented and accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. This article may be updated as further information becomes available.
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