Cork murder trial hears there may have been 'an attempt to amputate arm' of dead woman
A witness today told the court that Adam Corcoran (pictured) 'seemed angry, not his normal self' on the day in question. Picture: Larry Cummins
An attempt may have been made post mortem to amputate the left arm of the 27-year-old woman found dead with multiple stab wounds in an apartment in Midelton, but this could not be confirmed because of the fire that was started.
This possibility, which could not be confirmed, was referred to in the evidence of state pathologist Dr Yvonne McCartney at the Central Criminal Court where a murder and arson trial went into its fourth day on Thursday.
Adam Corcoran is on trial charged with arson of the apartment and murdering mother of two, Daena Walsh, at their home at John Barry House, Midleton on August 2, 2024. He told gardaí she stabbed herself.
Defence senior counsel, Brendan Grehan, said in his cross-examination of the pathologist: “It sounds like there was an attempt to amputate the arm.” Dr McCartney replied: “That is what it appears. It is difficult to say because of the heat. Injuries (to the left arm) might have been inflicted post mortem. Appearances suggest that but I cannot say because of the heat.”
At the end of his cross-examination the defence senior counsel referred to the issue again. Mr Grehan said: “In terms of the large wound to the left arm it is the only wound that did not have an associated haemorrhage. That would feed into your view that it may have been inflicted post-mortem.”
Dr McCartney again agreed but said that fire damage prevented her from being conclusive on this point. The pathologist said there was no evidence of soot or debris from a fire having been inhaled by the deceased before her death.
When the pathologist said that Daena Walsh’s hand injuries were consistent with defensive-type injuries, Mr Grehan suggested the possibility that they could have been self-inflicted.
Dr McCartney said: “They are more in keeping with defensive wounds to the hand. They are more likely defensive.”
Asked if she could absolutely rule out self-infliction, she agreed that she could not but said the number and pattern of them were consistent with being defensive.
The pathologist said that where there was evidence of self-harming by a person one tended to find hesitation wounds. She said that no such wounds were found here.
She concluded that there were 25 sharp wound injuries, made up of 11 stab wounds and 14 incised wounds.
One of the stab wounds which penetrated the sternum and the pericardium of the heart would have been independently fatal, the pathologist said. She said the force necessary to inflict it would have been moderate to strong.
Death was due to multiple sharp force injuries to the face, neck, chest and abdomen leading to haemorrhage, hypoglycemic shock and cardio respiratory arrest, Dr McCartney concluded.
Toxicology results for the deceased tested positive for alcohol, cocaine, barbiturates and Benzodiazepine. Alcohol levels were below the permitted limit for driving.
The pathologist also said the evidence was that the cocaine would have been taken a long period before death and would not have contributed to death.
Earlier on Thursday, the jury of eight men and four women and Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford were shown CCTV of the movements of the accused and the deceased in Midleton that day.
It included Adam Corcoran visiting the Number 21 off-licence at 12.30pm alone and returning at around 2pm with Ms Walsh where they bought some Four Loco and vodka.
Manager of the off-licence, Jack Healy, said he knew both parties as customers and said in relation to Adam Corcoran that day: “He seemed angry, not his normal self.”
In one CCTV clip shown on Thursday, the accused and the deceased are seen leaving the off-licence shortly after 2pm that day and kissing briefly before walking down the street.
The trial continues.
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