State still trying to determine age of Vadym Davydenko murder accused

Ryan Dunne

The State is still trying to determine the age of a Somali national accused of murdering Ukrainian teenager Vadym Davydenko at a care facility last year, a court has heard.

Vadym, who was 17 years old, was stabbed at around 11am on October 15h, 2025 during an incident at a 24-hour facility in Donaghmede, where he was placed in care after recently arriving from Kyiv.

The accused cannot be identified while his case proceeds on the basis that he is a minor.

When the matter came before the Children's Court last December, the accused claimed his documents were false, with his defence team saying that doubts persist over his age.

When told the document with his date of birth still had to be confirmed, the defendant replied that it was "not real" and his "country has gone to bits, and anyone can make a document to say they are 17".

However at a subsequent hearing last month, the accused declared: "My age is 17, what more do the police want?"

The accused was sent forward for trial at the Central Criminal Court, where he appeared on Wednesday morning via video link.

Judge Paul McDermott was told that Tusla, the child and family agency who are involved in the defendant’s case, are still trying to determine if the accused is a juvenile.

The matter was put back to a date later this month.