A man bludgeoned to death died from inhaling his own blood, a State pathologist told the Central Criminal Court yesterday.
Mr William Carroll (51), of no fixed abode, denies the murder of Mr Thomas Harte (40), of Allen's Square, Ballymacthomas, Cork, at a disused house in the north of the city in May 1997.
Dr Margaret Bolster, pathologist, told the court Mr Harte had been bludgeoned with a blunt instrument, crushing facial bones and causing him severe bleeding.
Mr Harte had most likely fallen unconscious during the attack, thereby failing to trigger a "gag reflex" response which would have prevented blood gushing into his air passage, the pathologist said.
The inhalation of blood into the lungs and the severe trauma to the head, caused by repeated blows, resulted in death, she said.
The deceased man had also extensive "defensive wounds" on his left forearm, caused usually by the victim trying to protect himself from repeated blows from an attacker, Dr Bolster said.
Mr Harte had multiple bruises to his head causing his brain to swell, several teeth missing and one rib broken, which had punctured his lung.
Large amounts of blood and one tooth were found in the stomach which the deceased had swallowed in the course of the attack, she said.
Det Garda John Higgins told prosecution counsel, Mr Pat McCarthy, that blood splashes on the walls indicated the deceased was lying down in a prone position when he was struck.
The pillow underneath his head was found heavily blood-soaked as well, he said.
As Mr Harte was being attacked the weapon became bloodied and as the attacker raised the weapon to strike again the blood was flicked off the implement and spattered on the wall in an arched pattern, he said. It indicated that a wide implement was used in the attack, possibly a toaster such as the one found bloodied at the scene.
Supt Patrick Joseph Brennan told the court that Mr Harte had at no time been interviewed in connection with the death of the accused man's brother, Mr Gerard Carroll.
Supt Brennan said Mr Harte had absolutely nothing to do with that death in a Cork pub in 1987.
The trial continues today.