Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 7110Murder · Co. Cork · 15 Mar 2024

Tattoo artist found guilty of murder of chef in sword attack

Dylan Scannell, a 31-year-old tattoo artist from O'Rahilly Street, Cobh, Co Cork, attacked Ian Baitson, a 33-year-old father-of-two and chef, with a sword in the Eurospar car park on Newtown Road, Cobh, on the evening of 15 March 2024. The attack caused partial amputation of Baitson's left leg and massive blood loss, and he died in hospital four days later. Scannell admitted manslaughter but denied murder, and after a week-long trial at the Central Criminal Court in Cork, a jury unanimously found him guilty of murder in June 2025. Sentencing is set for 11 July 2025, when a mandatory life sentence is expected.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Convicted4 Jun
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • The victim was Ian Baitson, a 33-year-old father-of-two and chef.
  • The suspect is Dylan Scannell, a 31-year-old tattoo artist from O'Rahilly Street, Cobh.
  • Baitson told his mother, Helen Goggin, he was going to the shop and would be back in about 10 minutes, and about twenty minutes later she heard sirens and was told he had been attacked.
  • The sword caused partial amputation of Baitson's left leg and massive blood loss.
  • Baitson was taken to Cork University Hospital for emergency surgery and died four days after the attack, when his life-support machine was turned off.
Cause
  • Scannell texted Baitson threatening to chop off his fingers over a drug debt Scannell said was €2,500, and Baitson replied that he owed only a couple of hundred euro.
  • The post-mortem found that Baitson died of haemorrhage and shock, complicated by brain damage from lack of blood supply, caused by a sharp-force injury.
Other details
Baitson had €185 in his pocket on the night of the attack, which he planned to give Scannell.
Where
The attack took place at the Eurospar car park on Newtown Road in Cobh, Co Cork.
When
The attack happened on the evening of 15 March 2024.
Weapon
Scannell struck Baitson from behind the left knee with a sword.
Charges
Scannell admitted manslaughter but denied murder.
In court
The week-long trial at the Central Criminal Court in Cork, presided over by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, ended with a unanimous guilty verdict of murder after just over four hours of deliberation.
Sentence
A mandatory life sentence is expected at a sentencing hearing on 11 July 2025.
20 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatDylan Scannell, 31, a tattoo artist from O'Rahilly Street, Cobh, was convicted of murdering Ian Baitson, 33. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe sword caused partial amputation of the victim's left leg, massive blood loss, and his subsequent death in hospital. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe victim died four days after the attack. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatScannell had previously sent Baitson a text threatening to chop off his fingers over a drug debt he claimed amounted to €2,500. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatBaitson texted back insisting he only owed a couple of hundred euro. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatOn the night of the attack, Baitson had €185 in his pocket which he planned to give to Scannell. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatScannell emerged from a car in the car park and attacked Baitson with the sword. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatBaitson told his mother Helen Goggin he was going to the shop and would be back in about 10 minutes. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatTwenty minutes later, Helen Goggin heard sirens and was informed Ian had been attacked. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatFour days after the attack, the life-support machine was turned off at the hospital. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe post-mortem indicated Baitson died of haemorrhage and shock complicated by brain damage due to lack of blood supply from an injury caused by sharp force. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatA single blow from a sharp weapon like a samurai sword caused a fracture to the knee bone and sliced through the tibia and fibula. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe attack took place at the Eurospar car park on Newtown Road in Cobh, Co Cork. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereBaitson was taken to Cork University Hospital for emergency surgery. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe attack occurred on the evening of 15 March 2024. (irishmirror.ie)
  • weaponA sword was used to strike the victim from behind the left knee. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeScannell admitted manslaughter but denied murder. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe trial was held at the Central Criminal Court in Cork and lasted a week. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtMs Justice Eileen Creedon presided over the trial. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceA mandatory life sentence is expected at a sentencing hearing on 11 July 2025. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 4 Jun2025
    Convictedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Tattoo artist found guilty of murder of chef in sword attack

    First report of the conviction. The week-long trial at the Central Criminal Court in Cork ended with a unanimous guilty verdict after just over four hours of deliberation. Sentencing is set for 11 July 2025 with a mandatory life sentence expected. The article details the sword attack, the drug-debt background, the post-mortem findings, and the accused's own testimony.

    victim, Ian Baitson, 33, male, irish (judged from name)Ian Baitsonconvicted, Dylan Scannell, 31, male, named, irish (judged from name)Dylan Scannell