Man arrested over Kanturk pub assault death

A man in his 20s has been arrested for questioning in relation to a serious assault in North Cork which led to the death of a pensioner.

The man was arrested in Kanturk, Co Cork, shortly after 9am yesterday in connection with an assault on Finbar Lehane, 65, outside a pub in Kanturk on October 24.

The man can be detained for up to 24 hours under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. He is being detained at Mallow Garda Station for questioning.

Mr Lehane from Glen South in Banteer, Co Cork, died at Cork University Hospital (CUH) two weeks after he was assaulted.

He suffered serious head injuries and is understood to have incurred blunt force trauma to the head in the assault. He received a punch to the head which caused him to fall back, banging his head on the hard surface. He was knocked unconscious.

Mr Lehane was rushed by ambulance to CUH where he was put in an induced coma but he was unable to survive his injuries.

Garda technical experts carried out a forensic examination of the scene, witnesses were questioned and CCTV footage was also examined.

Gardaí have not released the results of his postmortem for operational reasons.

Mr Lehane died in hospital on November 7. His family were at his bedside. The pensioner is believed to have been accosted on a few occasions on the night of the assault.

Finbarr Lehane was a well known musician in North Cork. He is survived by his wife Josie and his adult children.