A 42-year-old father-of-seven who died following an altercation in a Co Kerry graveyard sustained a number of injuries, a pathologist has told a murder trial.
Six men are on trial at the Central Criminal Court, sitting in Cork, charged with the murder of Thomas Dooley at New Rath Cemetery, Rathass, Tralee, on 5 October 2022.
The altercation occurred as a woman was being laid to rest in the graveyard.
The accused are: Patrick Dooley, 36, of Arbutus Grove, Killarney; Daniel Dooley, 42, of An Carraigín, Connolly Park, Tralee; Thomas Dooley Senior, 43, Thomas Dooley Junior, 21, and Michael Dooley, 29, of Carrigrohane Road, Cork; and a teenager who cannot be named for legal reasons.
Patrick is the brother of the late Thomas Dooley. Three of the other defendants are first cousins of the deceased. All six men have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Dooley.
Thomas Dooley Jnr has also pleaded not guilty to a charge of intentionally or recklessly causing harm to Siobhán Dooley, the wife of the deceased at New Rath Cemetery on the same date.
The trial, which is in its third week, heard evidence from State Pathologist Dr Sally Anne Collis who carried out a post-mortem examination of Mr Dooley’s body on 6 October 2022.
Dr Collis said that she visited the scene of the altercation. She noted blood stains and clotted blood on the grass in the graveyard. Gardaí informed her that a machete had been recovered in grass adjacent to the cemetery.
Dr Collis said the body of Mr Dooley showed no signs of asphyxiation. Signs of medical intervention were noted.
A stab wound was recorded on the back of the deceased which, the jury heard, had damaged the smalls bones in the spine. It also caused haemorrhage around the spinal cord.
Dr Collis said that the degree of damage sustained to the back would have required moderate to severe force.
A stab wound was also noted on Mr Dooley’s right upper thigh with “significant blood loss” that transected his femoral artery and punctured one of his veins. There was also an incision wound to the upper leg.
Dr Collis said the deceased sustained a blunt force injury to the head. Haemorrhaging also occurred in the right temple area.
Dr Collis said the clothing worn by the deceased on the date the altercation took place had evidence of blood staining.
She also logged a chop wound on the right upper arm caused by a “sharp implement”. Abrasions and bruising was recorded on multiple areas of the body.
Dr Collis said the cause of death was sharp force injuries resulting in blood loss. A machete which gardaí found in the area of the cemetery was also shown in court.
Garda evidence of blood stains in accused’s van
The trial also heard evidence from Garda Alan Crowley, of the Crime Scene investigation Unit in Cork, who said that officers in the city became aware of a serious incident in Tralee at lunchtime on 5 October 2022.
A white van driven by Patrick Dooley to Cork city on that date was among the vehicles examined following the incident.
Gda Crowley went to a lock-up facility where the van was being stored by gardaí on 6 October 2022.
He said that he took pictures of a bloodstained sock on the floor of the vehicle and of blood staining to a child seat on the passenger side of the van.
He told Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring that he also took photographs of blood on the button of the handbrake as well as collecting a number of wet and dry swabs from the van, including from the gear stick and baby seat.
Under cross-examination by defence barristers, Gda Crowley acknowledged that the vehicle driven by Patrick Dooley had been seized at Cork University Hospital (CUH).
He said that he “didn’t know anything” about injuries which were allegedly sustained by Patrick Dooley on 5 October 2022. He said he was of the opinion that the blood found was “contact blood”.
The trial also heard from Sergeant Liam Lingane who went to emergency department at CUH at 8.30pm on 5 October 2022 where he met Patrick Dooley who informed him that he had attended a funeral that day.
Sgt Lingane said Patrick Dooley told him that “Cork lads” were on top of his brother and that he tried to “pull some fellas off him.
Patrick Dooley said he decided to go to CUH when he noticed blood “dripping” off his left arm.
The case continues tomorrow before a jury of 15 which includes three substitute members.
