Jury returns verdict of unlawful killing

A JURY has returned a verdict of unlawful killing at an inquest into the death of Brian Murphy, the young man who died following a “vicious and sustained” assault outside the Burlington Hotel, Dublin, in August 2000.

Mr Murphy, 18, of Ardleigh, Clonskeagh, was pronounced dead at St Vincent’s Hospital at 4.57am on August 31, 2000, following the assault by a group outside Club Annabel’s on Sussex Street that morning, Dublin City Coroner’s Court heard yesterday.

Mr Murphy died of swelling of the brain (cerebral oedema) and inhalation of blood due to multiple facial injuries consistent with a significant assault, according to a postmortem carried out by the state pathologist at the time, Prof John Harbison.