There will be no further criminal prosecutions brought by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in connection with the killing of Brian Murphy outside a Dublin nightclub in August 2000, an inquest has heard.
After considering three expert reports on the case, the DPP has decided not to seek any further prosecutions, coroner Dr Brian Farrell told an inquest into Mr Murphy's death which opened at the Dublin City Coroner's Court earlier today.
Dr Farrell had ordered the file on the death of the 18-year-old to be sent back to the DPP in March this year following a statement by State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy suggesting that Mr Murphy's death was caused by head injuries.
Dr Cassidy's findings appeared to concur with that Prof John Harbison, who carried out the original postmortem on Mr Murphy, and who concluded he died from swelling of the brain due to severe facial injuries suffered during an assault.
Dr Cassidy's findings had previously differed from those of Prof Harbison's in that she suggested the injuries suffered by Mr Murphy were relatively minor and would not be expected to cause his death.
The action by the coroner had raised the possibility of a new criminal trial being brought in relation to Mr Murphy's death.