West Cork assault trial hears one man 'had a stab wound...which was actively hissing'

An emergency medicine specialist told the court 'it was suspected the lung had been breached'

William Brennan, left, pleaded not guilty to charges of assault causing serious harm to Jeremiah Brennan, right. File picture: Andy Gibson

An emergency medicine specialist arriving on a chaotic scene in Dunmanway believed that one man might die from his injuries in a case where the injured party’s brother is on trial for stabbing him and another brother.

Dr Jason van der Velde testified in the trial on Friday that he arrived at the nursing home in Dunmanway, County Cork, at 7.15pm on August 17, 2024, to find the two injured parties side by side on the floor, covered in blood.

32-year-old William Brennan, of Longbridge, Ballyhalwick, Dunmanway, County Cork, is on trial at Cork Circuit Criminal Court where he pleaded not guilty to charges of assault causing serious harm to John Brennan and Jeremiah Brennan (junior), also known as Jerry, at the family home, both charges brought under Section 4 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

William Brennan also denies a charge of producing a knife in the course of a dispute, all charges related to the date of August 17, 2024.

Today's testimony

Dr van der Velde said Jerry had an active bleed from his left upper arm where a makeshift tourniquet had been applied high on his upper arm, and the witness replaced this with a medical tourniquet which was effective in stopping the bleeding.

“John was in considerable pain and was given an extremely strong inhaled analgesic… We had to stop him from having catastrophic haemorrhage. 

"He had a stab wound to his right chest which was actively hissing, and it was suspected the lung had been breached,” he said, adding that a valved bandage was applied.

John was removed to Cork University Hospital by air ambulance helicopter and Jerry was taken to CUH by road ambulance.

The accused man, William Brennan, was also present. Dr van der Velde described him as being “extremely monosyllabic and showing absolutely no emotion whatsoever. He presented to us as being assaulted with an iron bar.

"He had defensive wounds to his left forearm and to his right arm consistent with blunt force trauma by a heavy object.” 

He said the father of the family, Jeremiah (senior), was also present and appeared quite frail and shook. The trial continues before Judge Helen Boyle and the jury of eight men and four women on May 5.