A 28-year-old Cork man stabbed in front of his mother died from massive internal bleeding and shock due to a stab wound in his left groin, the State Pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, told a jury at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday.
After conducting a post-mortem examination on the deceased, Mr Noel McCarthy, Dr Cassidy found multiple injuries to his face, head, ear, groin and hand as well as massive internal bleeding.
She told the court Mr McCarthy's femoral artery in his left groin was cut in two, resulting in "200ml of free blood in the abdomen and massive haemorrhaging around the kidneys and inside the pelvic area". She noticed that he also had a stab wound to the bladder.
Detailing other injuries, Dr Cassidy told the jury he had a 5.6cm cut between his ear and mouth on the left side of his face, referring to a slash wound which Mr McCarthy received some hours before he was stabbed in the groin. Two more cuts were found on the back of his head and his ear, which were also superficial. A cut across the back of his hand was on "a typical site of defensive injuries", she noted.
She concluded that cause of death was from a damaged major blood vessel which left him in a bleeding and shocked state and led to his eventual death.
Dr Cassidy was giving evidence on the third day of the trial of Mr Keith O'Donovan (31), of Spriggs Road, Gurranabraher, Cork. He has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Mr McCarthy at his home in Spriggs Road on May 4th, 2000.
The victim's mother, Mrs Mary McCarthy, left the courtroom in tears during Dr Cassidy's evidence.
The jury also heard details of evidence found at the scene of the crime.
The trial resumes before Mr Justice Butler on Monday.