An elderly farmer was beaten and robbed at his home in a remote area of Co Clare and died in hospital over six weeks later from his injuries, a murder trial jury heard yesterday
In the Central Criminal Court, Mr William Campion (31), of no fixed abode but formerly of Pineview Gardens, Moyross, Limerick, denies the murder of Mr Patrick "Paud" Skehan (68), of Ardataggle, Bridgetown, O'Brien's Bridge, near Killaloe. Mr Campion also denies burglary and trespassing charges.
Mr Skehan was attacked during a robbery at his home between April 9th and 10th, 1998. He was found by a neighbour and died from his injuries on June 3rd that year.
Mr Skehan was found hanging upside down, blindfolded and bound with television cable wire and a necktie, in the kitchen of his home. His legs were bound together and then tied to the banisters of a stairs. His hands were also tied. There were a number of injuries to his head.
The deputy State pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, would give the cause of death as bronchial pneumonia and blunt force trauma to the head, the jury was told.
Opening the case for the prosecution, Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley SC said that shoe prints in blood found at the scene would be the main evidence in the trial.
Mr Vaughan Buckley said that forensic scientists had compared shoe prints in blood found on floorboards at the scene with prints taken from shoes of the accused. The results of the tests would leave no doubt that the impressions of prints made by the accused's shoe and those found in a bedroom upstairs in Mr Skehan's house were the same, Mr Vaughan Buckley said.
In evidence, Mr Michael Brown, a neighbour of Mr Skehan, said that he had last seen him alive the night before the attack. He told the court that on the following morning at around 8:30 a.m, he spotted Mr Skehan's jeep outside another neighbour's house about 1.3 miles from Mr Skehan's home.
Mr Brown said he became suspicious when he arrived at Mr Skehan's house and found the curtains still closed and the front door wide open. He went inside the house and called out Mr Skehan's name. On the second call, he thought he heard a "moan" of some kind. He found Mr Skehan in the kitchen with his hands and legs bound. A handkerchief around his eyes was "completely covered in blood", Mr Brown said. He was hanging upside down, his legs bound together and tied to the banister.
Mr Skehan was just moaning and the witness thought he also heard him calling for his dog. Mr Brown went looking for the phone, and then went to his car and got his own mobile phone. He got the number of Killaloe Garda station.
Sgt Oliver Nevin, formerly stationed at Killaloe, said he was on duty on the morning of April 10th, 1998, when he was alerted by another garda at 8:40 a.m. to the attack on Mr Skehan.
On arrival at the scene, Sgt Nevin said Mr Skehan appeared to be unconscious and there was congealed blood on his face. He agreed that he noticed "that there was a strange smell of what appeared to be paraffin or diesel" from the victim. When he moved him, he thought he heard a moan.
Insp Michael Barry of Ennis Garda station said that when he was informed that the deceased had life-threatening injuries, he called in assistance from the Garda Technical Bureau. He said that he was shown a footprint at the side of the house and saw it was of "a similar pattern" to what appeared to be "a good shoe print" on the floor of the central bedroom upstairs. The trial continues on Monday.