Laide regrets part in attack but maintains innocence

DERMOT LAIDE yesterday said he regretted the heartache caused by his involvement in an incident outside a Dublin nightclub which led to the death of teenager Brian Murphy, but insisted he was not responsible for the death.

Laide walked free from court after his manslaughter retrial was dropped on the direction of the DPP due to “evidential difficulties”.

In a lengthy statement outside the court, Laide claimed there were wide differences between the view of current State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy and the findings of a post mortem carried out by her predecessor Professor John Harbison.

Laide, aged 23, from Rossvale, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, was due to stand trial yesterday for the second time for the manslaughter of Brian Murphy, 18, outside Anabel’s nightclub at the Burlington Hotel, Dublin, on August 31, 2000.

He was one of four people originally charged in connection with the student’s death and received a four-year sentence for manslaughter in 2004, which was later quashed by the Court of Criminal Appeal.

Laide, who highlighted a statement by State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy which said alcohol-induced apnoea was a significant factor in the death, insisted he did not cause the death of Mr Murphy.

He said: “A day does not go by when I don’t reflect upon the events of that night. If it were possible I would do anything to turn the clock back.

“However, I also wish to emphasise that I did not cause the death of BrianMurphy. I have always asserted my innocence of that offence.”

Edward Conyn, senior counsel for the DPP, entered a nolle prosequi at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, saying evidential difficulties arose in the case.

Laide, dressed in a suit and a red tie, looked relieved as Judge Michael White said: “You are free to go.”

Outside the court, Laide said it had been implied in news reports that the State was dropping the case due to the difficulty of prosecuting as Prof Harbison is too ill to give evidence.

However, he said his solicitors had received a fax from the Chief Prosecution Solicitor last Friday of a new statement on the case made by Dr Cassidy.

Mr Laide said: “It is my belief that this new statement by the State Pathologist was the real reason why the case was dropped.

Laide said Prof Harbison had thought the inhalation of blood was a contributing cause of death, but Dr Cassidy disagreed.

Her statement reads: “The injuries he [Mr Murphy] received were relatively minor and would not be expected to cause his death. It is most likely that his head injury was complicated by alcohol-induced apnoea and acute brain swelling, resulting in hypoxic/ischaemic brain injury and his death.”

In her statement, the State Pathologist says alcohol can have a detrimental effect after even a relatively minor head injury. The report states trauma to the brain can cause temporary concussion and a short period of apnoea, which is a stopping of breathing.

Alcohol has a depressant effect on the brain and can lengthen the period of apnoea.

Laide said he believed that if Dr Cassidy had produced such a report at the time of the incident, it was questionable whether anyone would even have been charged with manslaughter.

In March 2004, Mr Laide was convicted of violent disorder and received a two-year prison sentence. He completed this jail term last autumn.