Cork stab victim lost 'entire blood volume', court hears

A Cork man who was stabbed in the groin lost his entire volume of blood before being rushed into the operating theatre, a medical witness told a murder trial jury today.

Dr Eoin Sheehan, surgical registrar at the Mercy Hospital, Cork, told the Central Criminal Court that the victim, Mr Noel McCarthy had 'bled out' and developed multi- system organ failure which led to his death.

Dr Sheehan was giving evidence on the fourth day of the trial of Mr Keith O'Donovan (aged 29) of Spriggs Road, Gurranabraher, Cork and Mr James Hourigan (aged 32) of Harbour View Road, Knocknaheeny, Cork.

Both accused have denied the murder of Mr Noel McCarthy (aged 28) on May 4, 2000, at his home at Spriggs Road, Gurranabraher, Cork.

Dr Sheehan told the court Mr McCarthy had no pulse and was not breathing when he was admitted to casualty shortly after being stabbed.

He was transferred to the operating theatre at 5am for exploratory surgery on the groin wound.

Doctors also found lacerations to the urinary bladder.

Despite 'quite aggressive' treatment, Mr McCarthy’s condition deteriorated and he died shortly after 11am. "It is my opinion that he died of a stab wound to the groin," Dr Sheehan told the jury.

In other evidence, Mr Michael Burrington, a forensic scientist with the State Forensic Laboratory, said he carried out a number of DNA tests from samples of blood stained clothing from the accused and the deceased.

He said DNA taken from a T-shirt and the left shoe of James Hourigan matched Noel McCarthy’s.

Mr Burrington said the chances of someone else having the same DNA were less than one in one hundred thousand million.

In relation to Keith O’Donovan, DNA samples taken from the accused’s right shoe did not match that of Noel McCarthy. Samples taken from a number of other items were insufficient for DNA profiling, he said.

The trial continues tomorrow when the defence opens its case.