Couple were ‘caring of each other’

A man whose death at home sparked rumours in the community died from a large internal bleed caused by a severe fall, an inquest has confirmed.

Thomas Byrd, aged 58, of Avenue de Rennes, Mahon, Cork City, was found dead at home in the early hours of February 26.

A number of cuts and bruises were visible on his body and gardaí sealed off the scene pending an autopsy which later ruled out foul play.

At the inquest yesterday into his death, Cork City coroner Philip Comyn was told how the circumstances of the death had affected the family.

In a medical report to the coroner, Mr Byrd’s GP, Paul Harty, said the exclusion from their home and the “unfounded rumours” had been very upsetting for them.

The inquest was told that Mr Byrd had a range of medical issues, some of which affected his balance and some which caused bruises and lesions.

Mr Byrd had been drinking heavily on Sunday, February 24, before one of his sons, Ken, fell and broke a leg as he ran to retrieve dogs which ran out the front door. He was taken to hospital.

Mr Byrd, who was drunk, stayed at home but fell a number of times later and overnight.

Another son, Gavin, said one of the falls was “the worst he had seen”.

Two falls were severe — one against a coffee table and one against a dresser.

The next day, as family members stayed at the hospital with Ken, Mr Byrd stayed at home, sipping water and watching TV.

Family members checked on him by phone regularly. He told them he was OK but he could not eat a takeaway they brought home for him that evening.

His wife, Marguerite, helped him to bed but heard a loud crash later.

She said she went upstairs and saw him leaning against a wall before he slumped onto his knees.

She said he fell back into her arms, smiled at her, and died in her arms on the landing.

Paramedics were alerted but Mr Byrd was dead and gardaí were called, arriving at around 12.30am on February 26 before death was formally pronounced and the scene sealed off.

An autopsy found that he had suffered a large bleed in his abdomen.

Assistant State pathologist Margot Bolster said the cause of death was shock and haemorrhage due to blunt force trauma to the abdomen consistent with a fall.

Dr Bolster said extensive liver disease would have accelerated his death.

Returning a verdict of misadventure, Mr Comyn said he was very struck by Dr Harty’s report, in which he said Mr Byrd and his wife had a wonderful relationship and they were very caring of and reliant on each other.

Mrs Byrd thanked gardaí in Blackrock, including Sergeant Fergus Twomey and Garda Pat Barrett, for their empathy and compassion.