CCTV footage shows moment OAP axe killer Oliver Doran killer is caught in the act

The clip, exclusively obtained by theSunday World,was key to convicting Doran, who was sentenced this week, of the brutal murder of an innocent man.

“This is moment that cost Doran any hope he had of getting away with the killing,” a source told the Sunday World.

“He fell as he picked up the axe, and as he dragged himself up from the ground, he left fingerprints, painted in his victim’s blood on the railing.”

Earlier this week, violent criminal Doran, with an address at the Sophia housing complex in Cork Street, was sentenced to life in prison for the frenzied April 2021 axe murder of pensioner Kwok Ping Cheng at the nearby Robinson’s Court assisted living complex in Dublin 8.

In the wake of the verdict, CCTV from the night of the killing – showing Doran’s arrival and chaotic exit from the complex an hour and 20 minutes later – was obtained by this newspaper.

Doran, who despite being only 24 years of age, had already clocked up 98 convictions for offences including thefts, violent disorder, robbery, assault and possession of knives, by the time CCTV captures him entering the pensioner’s complex at 9.49pm on April 28, 2021.

Wearing black runners, tracksuit pants and a jacket with a hood covering his face, Doran walked briskly past the camera before turning the corner to Cheng’s home where he accessed the pensioner’s ground-floor terraced home by breaking in through a rear window.

Once inside, the killer, who had arrived at the scene carrying the axe he had brought from home, inflicted a barbaric attack on Cheng, known affectionately in the estate as ‘Chinese George’, over a period of 80 minutes.

“What he did to poor George inside the flat that night was horrific,” the source who provided us with the CCTV told the Sunday World.

“And for what – to steal his pension? Poor George didn’t speak much English – all he’d ever do is smile and give you a thumbs up when he walked past.”

During the 1 hour and 20 minutes in the apartment, Doran rained blows from the axe down on the head, arms and body of innocent Cheng.

State Pathologist, Dr Heidi Okkers said Cheng suffered multiple broken bones in the attack, as well as dozens of wounds that exposed his skull and underlying bones.

The most severe injuries were scalp lacerations and these were most likely caused by an axe which had been shown to her at the scene.

The pensioner also had multiple chop injuries, abrasions and bruises on his forearms and hands in keeping with defence injuries.

And, in addition, there was a fracture of the jaw and the left tibia and these were caused by blunt force trauma, most like caused by the blunt end of the axe or by kicking or punching, she told the court.

Dr Heidi Okkers said his left forearm and his left lower limb between the knee and the ankle were broken, there was a chop wound above the right ear exposing the bone, and at the left angle of the mouth exposing the underlying teeth and jaw.

On leaving Cheng’s flat, Doran again walks past the CCTV camera at 11.13pm.

This time, as he is walking around the corner of the railing and he tried to adjust his hood, the murder weapon falls out from beneath the front of his jacket.

As he attempts to recover the weapon, Doran falls forward onto his face before feeling his way around the ground for the axe.

After retrieving the weapon, he reaches for the railing before pulling himself to his feet and walking unsteadily from the complex.

The next morning, shortly after 10am, the killing was discovered by James Ellis, who called to the pensioner’s home three or four times a week to check on him because he was a vulnerable person.

“I knocked and the door opened. I pushed through and I shouted: ‘Kwok, Kwok, it’s Jimmy’ he said later.

Entering, after he failed to elicit an answer, he discovered Cheng in the sitting room “covered in blood”.

“I knew he was dead,” he said.

“As I backed out, I could see the place was ransacked. I said a quick prayer and called the emergency services,” he added.

That same day, Doran fled Dublin, initially travelling to Northern Ireland and then on to England.

He returned to Ireland on May 4th, 2021, and was arrested on May 5. He made admissions to the gardaí but maintained that he could not recall what had happened as he had taken drink and drugs.

Doran (24) initially pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Cheng (76) at Robinson’s Court on the same Dublin street, on a date between April 28 and 29, 2021; his trial began in January.

However, after being confronted with overwhelming CCTV and forensic evidence, he subsequently changed his plea to one of guilty.

Letter

Appearing before the Central Criminal Court this week for sentencing, a letter was read out to Doran which had been written by Kwok Ping Cheng’s son Jason.

In it, he told Doran: “You won’t be playing happy families when the sentence is read out.

“Now you have pleaded guilty, now you have to pay the price for your crime.

“You can’t escape reality; your children will be asking ‘Where is Daddy?’ – that is your reality.”

“My father’s life was cruelly taken away, and the question I have asked is ‘why?’

“He was an elderly man going about his life.

“I may never know the answers. Did they have a grievance or a falling out?

“The fact is a man’s life was cut short. He did not deserve to have his life taken away,” said Mr Cheng.

In sentencing, Mr Justice Keane said this was an appalling crime and he offered his condolences to the deceased’s son and family.

He said this was a “senseless” crime, especially as no meaningful motive had been established.

He said that a probation report raised a number of concerns about Doran, including his likely propensity to re-offend; his propensity for violence; his negative peer association and history of addiction, and the lack of structure in his life.

“I am required to sentence him to prison for life,” said Mr Justice Keane.