Woman’s death ‘extraordinary and unusual’

THE family of a woman whose body was found suspended from railings has called for a criminal investigation into her death to be re-opened after an inquest jury returned an open verdict.

Yesterday, the Limerick city coroner said the circumstances of the death of Margaret Collins were extraordinary and very unusual.

Ms Collins, aged 44, from Hyde Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston, was found dead in a standing position with the back of her coat caught on railings at Pery Square, in Limerick city centre, on the night of November 19, 2002.

The inquest heard that a man was seen trying to lift her limp body from the railings.

A blood sample found Ms Collins had more than four times the alcohol level allowed for a motorist.

At a previous adjourned hearing, the former State Pathologist, Prof John Harbison, said Ms Collins had died from vagal inhibition which results when sudden pressure is applied to an artery in the neck.

Anthony Collins told yesterday’s adjourned hearing that he saw marks on his sister’s neck when he identified her body.

Dr Darragh Little said he pronounced the woman dead at the scene where her coat had appeared to have got caught in a spike.

He did not see any injuries to Ms Collins.

Mr David Brophy, solicitor for the next of kin, put it to Dr Little that the marks Anthony Collins saw could have been caused by violence.

Dr Little said he did not see any bruising.

Keith Fossett said he was returning to his residence in Pery Square when he saw two winos, a man and a woman and they were walking with difficulty.

A short time later he saw the woman standing limp against a railing.

He assumed she had passed out with drink. The man with her was trying to get her off the railing and telling her to ‘stand up.’

He said the woman could have fallen against the railings and got her coat snagged.

Orla Rhatigan said when she came upon the couple, the man was supporting the woman against the railing and telling her ‘come on, come on. Stand up.’

Garda Esther Stokes said when she and a colleague got to the scene they spoke with a man who gave his name as Michael Hayes.

Detective Sergeant Denis Treacy said a blood sample taken from the dead woman showed an alcohol level of 355 mgs.

Coroner Eamonn O’Brien said it was a very unusual death and had happened in extraordinary circumstances.

After the jury returned an open verdict, Antony Collins called for the garda to re-open the investigation.