A verdict is expected today in the trial at the Central Criminal Court of a Corkman accused of the murder of his six-month-old baby daughter.
Unemployed Mr Fergus Whitty (31) has denied murdering baby Vanessa Kelly in their home at Mount Vernon Crescent, South Douglas Road, Cork, on September 15th, 1996.
The man admitted that he assaulted the infant and that as a result she sustained severe injuries which resulted in her death. The court also heard he had been drinking heavily that day.
The jury was told that a person who had drunk 12-14 pints of beer within seven hours would be likely to have a blood alcohol level of 195-245 milligrams. Consultant psychiatrist Dr William Delaney said a level of 150 milligrams could cause memory loss and affect the problem-solving capabilities of the average person.
He agreed under cross-examination that traumatic events could also cause loss of memory.