'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.

Prof. Crane testified at the trial at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork: “If you have a small subdural haematoma you may not have any significant symptoms at all. There is what is described as a lucid interval. 

"It is only when the blood clot enlarges inside that you have symptoms. And if someone is intoxicated where they are drowsy and their speech is slurred those symptoms are very similar to what you get with subdural haematoma.” 

The pathologist referred to evidence of Dr Margaret Bolster, pathologist, earlier in the trial that loss of consciousness happened very quickly.

Prof. Crane said: “There is a very distinct possibility that there was bleeding already there. There is a likelihood of that, as opposed to the injury on December 28 causing all the bleeding. It could have — one cannot rule it out. But it would not have caused the rapid loss of consciousness which Mr O’Neill seemed to have.

It (loss of consciousness) appeared to developed rapidly (on December 28). That suggests to me there was an earlier smaller bleed.

Brendan Grehan, senior counsel for Jordan Deasy, suggested that a number of facial bones would be susceptible to fracture if one was punched in the face but that no such fractures were found on the deceased. Prof. Crane agreed.

Prosecution senior counsel, Jane Hyland, put Dr Bolster’s evidence to Prof. Crane — particularly that the December 28 incident caused Mr O’Neill’s death. He agreed that the second assault was a substantial contribution to his death.

Ms Hyland suggested that the common sense interpretation is that the second assault by Mr Hoey and Mr Deasy led to Mr O’Neill’s death. He agreed.

The witness then added: “One has to consider the possibility that there was a pre-existing subdural haematoma that made him susceptible to this onset.” 

21-year-old Ricardo Hoey of 7 Ardcarrig, Carrigaline, County Cork, and 19-year-old Jordan Deasy of 41 Ravensdale, Heron's Wood, both pleaded not guilty to the single charge against them, namely that on December 28, 2022, at Glenwood estate, Carrigaline, County Cork, they did murder 29-year-old Matt O’Neill, contrary to common law.