Pinpoint injuries to the skin of a man who died after being shot in the head by a gunman suggest the shotgun was just a few inches away, the Assistant State Pathologist has told a murder trial jury.
Dr Michael Curtis was giving evidence in the trial of Stephen Kelly (21), Balcurris Road, Ballymun, Dublin, who has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to the murder of Ian McConnell.
Mr McConnell (28) was gunned down on the first-floor landing of a block of flats at Shangan Road in north Dublin in the early hours of December 11th, 2005.
Giving evidence on day two of the case, Dr Curtis told prosecuting counsel Michael O'Higgins that Mr McConnell had died from a single gunshot wound to the head.
This had caused a laceration to his right ear and had entered his head, coursing right to left. It had injured the right side of his jaw and damaged the jugular vein and carotid arteries, as well as causing damage to the under-surface of the brain.
Dr Curtis said these injuries were consistent with instant death.
"Powder tattooing" on the skin caused by burned and unburned powder hitting the skin around the wound also suggested the shot had been fired from a few inches away.
He said the results of a toxicology report showed Mr McConnell had been moderately intoxicated with alcohol and had taken cocaine and amphetamines before his death.
There was also evidence he had taken diazepam and lignocaine.
Under cross-examination from counsel for the defence Mary Ellen Ring, Dr Curtis agreed that he had taken currency and a tablet from Mr McConnell's pocket but said he had not established what the tablet was, as this had been handed over to gardaí.
Another witness, Lisa Knowd, the sister of a previous witness, Sinéad Knowd, who said she had witnessed Mr McConnell's murder, said she had been drinking into the morning that night.
She said she had seen "Ned" at about 7.10am that morning and identified Mr Kelly as that person. She said she saw him on foot near the old Quinn's shop at Poppintree in Ballymun.
She agreed with Ms Ring that she had been drinking cider, lager and a vodka-based drink but denied she had taken any drugs. When Ms Ring put it to her that she had not seen Mr Kelly outside the shop that night or at any other stage, she replied: "I did."
She added: "He walked up with somebody and I went a few minutes later so I don't know even what he was talking about."
Det Sgt Matt Murphy said he had arrested Mr Kelly at the door of Santry Garda station after he had arrived there with his brother John on the afternoon of December 11th, 2005.
Mr Kelly was arrested under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act on suspicion of having unlawful possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.
The trial is due to continue in legal argument today before Mr Justice Kevin O'Higgins and the jury is expected to return to court tomorrow when evidence is expected to resume.