Knife sliced through victim's heart, court hears

The Central Criminal trial of a Limerick student accused of fatally stabbing a 59-year-old man has heard that the deceased died from a single stab wound to the chest.

Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis told Mr John Aylmer SC, prosecuting that Mr Liam O'Donovan died from a single wound that penetrated his chest to a depth of 17cms.

Mr Joseph 'Jody' Buston (aged 21), of Towerfield, Croom, Co Limerick, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr O'Donovan at St Senan's Terrace in the village in the early hours of November 4, 2006.

Dr Curtis said that the wound entered the chest on the left side between two ribs, leaving a fracture in the upper rib. The blade had entered almost horizontally and had sliced right through the heart causing massive bleeding in the chest and the heart sack.

He said that over two litres of blood was found in the chest cavity and this would have had the effect of preventing the heart from functioning properly.

He said that the wound was most likely caused by a straight edged single bladed weapon.

Numerous grazes and bruising to the hands and lower body were consistent with falling onto a rough service or could have indicated a struggle.

However he agreed with defence counsel Mr Brendan Nix SC that Mr O'Donovan had not had any defensive injuries.

Blood stains on the lower body showed that Mr O'Donovan had been standing for some time after receiving the injury rather than being stabbed where his body had been found on the pavement outside his house.

The jury also watched CCTV footage from outside a convenience store in Croom Village which showed the accused picking up two bundles of newspapers and carrying them a short distance down the road. He was also shown kicking a door further down the street.

However, Garda Patrick Buckley agreed with Mr Nix that the door showed only slight damage and no panels had been kicked in.

The case for the prosecution has now closed and the trial continues in its final stages before Mr Justice Carney and the jury of six men and six women.