Man who died after being hit by hurley had drugs in system, court told

A POSTMORTEM examination on a man who died in hospital after being hit with a hurley revealed he had drugs in his system at the time, a court heard yesterday.

Damien Organ, 25, suffered a tear in an artery carrying blood to his brain when he was hit during a row at a Waterford city park, resulting in a “gush” of blood into his skull cavity, according to state pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy.

Giving evidence at a manslaughter trial at Waterford Circuit Court, Dr Cassidy said the injuries sustained by Mr Organ were “wholly consistent” with a “forceful” blow to the side of the neck.