'Distinct possibility' man had bleed in his brain from earlier assault, Carrigaline murder trial told

Professor Jack Crane, pathologist, agreed that the December 28 assault was a substantial contribution to his death

The trial heard that Matt O'Neill (pictured) could have had a smaller brain haematoma as a result of an assault four days before the alleged incident on December 28 where he was injured. Picture courtesy of rip.ie.

The defence in the Carrigaline murder trial where a 29-year-old man lost his life following an assault on December 28, 2022, called evidence from a pathologist who testified that the deceased could have had a smaller brain haematoma as a result of another assault four days earlier.

Professor Jack Crane, pathologist, was called as a witness by Tom Creed, senior counsel, who represented one of the two accused, Ricardo Hoey. And Mr Creed asked him about how someone could have a small subdural haematoma without exhibiting symptoms, in a case where the deceased, Matt O’Neill, had been assaulted by three men four days earlier.