Fatal head injury after intervening in row

A man died from blunt force trauma to the head after reportedly intervening in a row during which a woman was being accosted.

Paddy Mullally, 57, a father of one from Wainsfort Park, Terenure, Dublin 6, sustained a fatal head injury after he reportedly saw a man harassing a woman and told him to leave her alone.

An inquest into his death opened at Dublin Coroner’s Court, where the man’s wife, Joan Shields was told he died due to subdural hemorrhage with brain trauma due to blunt force trauma to the head.

The incident happened in the early hours of March 5, 2016, the inquest heard. Mr Mullally was rushed to St James’s Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 9.14am, the next day.

Detective Inspector George McGeary said a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions and he applied for a three-month adjournment.

“If a decision is made in the meantime, we will bring the matter forward,” Coroner Dr Brian Farrell told Ms Shields.

She gave evidence of the formal identification of her husband to Garda Lorna O’Connor of Rathmines Garda Station. Gda O’Connor identified Mr Mullally to State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy for postmortem.

“I am aware of some of the circumstances of your husband’s death but I can’t comment this morning as the matter is going to the DPP,” the Coroner told Ms Shields.

Mr Mullally had been on a night out with family and friends, celebrating his retirement from Guinness. The group socialised in the city centre before returning to a pub in Harold’s Cross, where the incident took place outside an apartment block between 3am and 4am.

Extending his sympathies to the family, Dr Farrell adjourned the inquest for further mention until August 19. “I am very sorry indeed to hear of your husband’s death. May we extend our very deepest sympathies and condolences to you and your daughter,” Dr Farrell said.