Aidan Mann: Tragic street death of talented tattoo artist

Aidan Mann's Facebook leafage is frozen successful clip astatine his past station connected 2 January 2022.

"Hey guys, blessed caller year," helium wrote connected the leafage titled Tattoos by Zen Black, earlier saying helium had immoderate escaped abstraction if anyone was funny successful coming to him for immoderate ink.

The well-known subordinate of Northern Ireland's tattoo creator assemblage would beryllium dormant a specified 24 hours later, stabbed connected the thoroughfare by his neighbour Barry Donnelly.

The unfortunate was 28 years aged and a talented creator with a peculiar involvement successful the Japanese tattoo creation of irezumi. People came from crossed Ireland to beryllium inked by 1 of the best.

On his leafage determination are beautiful, intricate tattoos of koi food and fierce eagles.

There is his tattoo imprint of a dog's paw with the sanction Rocky etched underneath.

"A astonishment tattoo booked for her by her aunty," helium wrote. It was a astonishment 18th day acquisition successful representation of a beloved favored who passed away.

"I was truthful honoured to bash this piece, blessed healing!"

Everything changed connected 3 January 2022 erstwhile Aidan Mann walked retired of his level successful Downpatrick, County Down, conscionable earlier 11:00 GMT.

He had enactment connected his motorcycle helmet. It could person been immoderate mean moving day.

The country was captured connected CCTV footage aboriginal played retired successful court.

He was approached by Donnelly, a 38-year-old a neighbour successful the aforesaid flat block.

The 2 hardly knew each different but Mr Mann was acrophobic of Donnelly.

CCTV footage of that fateful morning, shows Donnelly attack and past Aidan Mann crossing the roadworthy and being chased by him on Church Street.

It shows Donnelly catching up with his victim, straddling him connected the crushed and stabbing him repeatedly successful the chest, limb and torso.

Two ample room knives were recovered from the scene.

People pulled Donnelly disconnected Mr Mann and called 999. But it was excessively late. Aidan Mann had been stabbed 14 times. He died.

Donnelly, a begetter of two, whose code was fixed arsenic Church Street successful Downpatrick, was charged with murder.

The tribunal was told that Donnelly had been "actively psychotic" erstwhile helium had attacked Aidan Mann.

A authoritative told the justice that, astatine the scene, Donnelly shouted it was a revenge onslaught for his member who had been murdered the erstwhile evening, which the lawyer said "transpired to beryllium wholly wrong".

In the period aft his arrest, Donnelly was transferred to the Shannon Clinic - a unafraid psychiatric portion - wherever helium remains.

Later, the prosecution told the justice that Aidan Mann's household accepted the plea of manslaughter.

Donnelly's defence lawyer said the defence recognised the "very sizeable loss" felt by the Mann household and said Barry Donnelly had expressed "regret, remorse and heartbreak".

He said his lawsuit had paranoid schizophrenia.

He had not been registered with a GP for 10 years and had ne'er sought infirmary treatment.

The lawyer said Donnelly had not been alert that helium was suffering acute intelligence unwellness until aft the "terrible act" that ended successful the talented tattoo artist's death.

In the 18 months since Mr Mann's death, determination person been tributes and memorial events.

Originally from Bangor, his household and friends successful the tattoo assemblage arsenic good arsenic those successful the car assemblage - Mr Mann was besides a keen petrolhead - retrieve him fondly.

"We went and near flowers astatine his blessed place. We conscionable privation to retrieve blessed memories of him."

"He has ever been a peculiar portion of me," said different woman.

"Growing up helium was amazing, helium had a grin for everybody."

Flick backmost to Zen Black's Facebook leafage and you'll spot his last video, posted astatine Halloween.

He had organised a raffle with a suitably ink-based prize.

He has agelong blonde hairsbreadth and a gentle smile.

He does a small mock bow arsenic helium announces the victor - having drawn the summons from his motorcycle helmet, of course.