Murder victim may have lain injured for several hours

MURDERED mother-of-two Rachel O’Reilly may have lain injured for several hours before she died, her husband’s trial at the Central Criminal Court was told.

State pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy gave evidence that Rachel, aged 30, could have died any time between 9am and 3pm on the day her blood-soaked body was found but, although she would have been knocked unconscious by blows to her head, she would not have died immediately.

Prof Cassidy, who carried out the post-mortem examination, told the court the deceased suffered eight lacerations to her head, “two to the top of the head, two directly behind her right ear, two above her right ear and two to the back of the head”. They were caused by a “minimum of four separate blows, but up to nine separate blows” and, in two of the places where there were lacerations, her skull was fractured. She also suffered a fractured cheek bone and jaw bone on the left side of her face.

Prof Cassidy took 25 minutes to read through her account of the injuries she found when examining Rachel’s body. Members of Rachel’s family were visibly distressed and held each other throughout the evidence.

Joe O’Reilly, aged 35, remained composed but lowered his head and closed his eyes several times as the details were read out. He has pleaded not guilty to murdering his wife at the family home at Lambay View, Baldarragh, The Naul, Co Dublin, on October 4, 2004.

Prof Cassidy said the injuries to the top of Rachel’s head could have been inflicted when she was upright and may have been the first injuries she suffered.

“Although painful, these injuries alone would not necessarily cause her to collapse although they could have caused temporary concussion. They would have bled almost immediately,” she said. “The injuries to the back of her head and behind the right ear were associated with fractures. They were due to forceful and heavy blows from a weapon. These would most likely be inflicted when she was lying on the ground.”

Prof Cassidy said the injuries behind Rachel’s right ear would have rendered her unconscious and, while in this vulnerable state, she would have inhaled and choked on blood from her injuries.

“She appeared to have made some attempt to defend herself. Injuries to her arms could have been caused by warding off blows.”

There were no injuries apart from those to her head and arms, there were no signs of sexual assault and she had been in good health prior to her death. Bruising to her neck may have been caused either by blows or by her attacker putting her in a headlock to restrain her.

Prof Cassidy concluded: “In my opinion death was due to blunt force trauma to the head, complications due to inhalation of blood, scalp lacerations, skull fractures and brain contusions.”

She said all the injuries occurred around the same time, but would not have caused immediate death.