Murder charge possible after killing of Cork father-of-two in Perth

By Eoin English

A man charged with grievous bodily harm, following the fatal assault of a Co Cork father-of-two in Western Australia over Christmas, may face more serious charges.

Andrew Doan, 34, from the Joondanna suburb of Perth, was remanded in custody yesterday, after he was brought before Perth Magistrate’s Court.

He was charged in connection with the death of Charlie McCarthy, 32, from Aghada, near Midleton.

Mr McCarthy, a cable layer with Complete Cabling and Construction, was walking with his Australian wife, Nicole, on the Riverside Road, in East Fremantle, Perth, at 1.20am on December 23, when a confrontation with two fishermen occurred.

He was attacked. While police have yet to describe Mr McCarthy’s injuries, he was stabbed in the head with what is believed to be a screwdriver.

One of the fishermen stayed with Mr McCarthy and rendered first aid.

Mr McCarthy was rushed by ambulance, in a critical condition, to Royal Perth Hospital, and was placed on life support in the intensive care unit.

Family members flew from Ireland to be at his bedside.

But his life support was switched off and he was pronounced dead on St Stephen’s Day.

Mr Doan was accused in court of striking Mr McCarthy in the head with an object, making him fall to the ground.

According to reports in The West Australian newspaper, Mr Doan’s lawyer, Adam Hammond, described his client, a design consultant, as a compassionate, generous, kind, and harmless father.

He said his client’s actions were more like self-defence or an accident and he accused Mr McCarthy of charging at his client and said Mr Doan would take the matter to trial, no matter what charge he faced.

However, the bail application was opposed by police prosecutor, who argued it would be inappropriate to release Mr Doan from custody, when the matter was likely to be sent to a higher court.

The results of a post-mortem, expected in a few days, will determine whether the charges will be upgraded to manslaughter or murder.

Magistrate Dianne Scaddan adjourned the application until next month, saying she was “not unsympathetic” to the submissions made on behalf of Mr Doan, but said it would be inappropriate to make a decision without further information.

Mr Doan’s fiancé and family were in court to support him.

Mr Doan is due back in court on January 3, for a bail application, at which point an update will be provided on the charges.

Mr McCarthy’s siblings who travelled to Australia, including his sister, Siobhán, have asked the media to respect their privacy.

Parish priest in Aghada, Fr Denis Kelleher, said he prayed with Mr McCarthy’s parents, Charlie and Margaret, at their home on Saturday, shortly after news of the attack, when medics were holding out little hope of Mr McCarthy’s survival.

He said there has been a great sense of sadness and shock in the community.

He said the family were all remembered in masses in the parish, over Christmas, and he said he hoped to provide continued support to the family, in the difficult days ahead.

Mr McCarthy emigrated to Australia in the 2000s, but returned to Aghada, with his wife, for a period, before they returned to live and work in Perth. The couple has two children — Ciara, five, and Niall, two.

Mr McCarthy was described as “quiet, but very popular” and very committed to Aghada GAA club, where his sisters, twins Sinead and Siobhán, play with Aghada junior ladies’ football team.

His cousin, Lorna Stinson, also posted a tribute on Facebook: “Our beautiful cousin taken far too soon. My heart goes out to all our family, who have been robbed of a son, husband, brother, uncle, cousin and father to two beautiful children.”

Aghada parish tweeted yesterday: “Let us keep his family in Perth, and here at home in Aghada, in our prayers.”

Aghada ladies’ football team also posted on Facebook: “Our thoughts and prayers are with all the McCarthy family, at this sad time.”