The State Pathologist for Northern Ireland told a Belfast court yesterday that a Cookstown man would have been dying or already dead when he was stabbed in the throat with a poker.
Prof Jack Crane told the Crown Court he did not think the stabbing would have contributed to the death of Mr George Scott (31), whose badly beaten body was found in his Killymoon Street flat in September, 1996.
Accused of Mr Scott's murder on September 22nd, 1996, are Mr Rodger Crooks (24), of McKinney Park, and brothers Mr Gary McGuckin (31) and Mr Mark McGuckin (36), both of Milburn Close, all in Cooks town. Two others, Mr Robert Stewart (39) and Mr George Watterson (31), both of Stewart Avenue, are accused of aiding and abetting in the killing.
The trial continues this morning.