Alan Hawe sought to ‘render a physical challenge less likely’

Alan Hawe murdered his wife, Clodagh, and eldest son, Liam, first "to render a physical challenge less likely," Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis speculated at the inquest into the deaths of the Cavan family of five.

Testifying on the first day of the inquest in Cavan, Dr Curtis said it was impossible to say with certainty which of the family members were murdered first by the Cavan school vice-principal.

However, he said his impression was Alan Hawe killed Clodagh (39) and the eldest boy Liam (13) initially before killing Niall (11) and Ryan (6).

Alan Hawe (40), who was found in the front hallway of the house, took his own life after murdering his wife and three sons at their home at Oakdene Downs in the townland of Barconey near Ballyjamesduff. The bodies were found on the morning of August 29th, 2016.

“By dispatching Clodagh and the older boy first, he would have rendered the possibility of a physical challenge less likely, but I don’t have any firm evidence,” Dr Curtis told the inquest at Cavan Courthouse.

After carrying out postmortems, Dr Curtis concluded Clodagh died from axe and penetrating stab wounds to the head and neck, while Hawe murdered his three sons with stab wounds to their necks.

The pathologist testified the windpipes of the boys were severed when they were stabbed by their father. Coroner Dr Mary Flanagan later asked whether this was coincidental.

Dr Curtis said he found it “very difficult to believe that it’s entirely coincidental” that all three suffered wounds below the Adam’s apple at the level of the upper windpipe “which would have rendered all three of them unable to make a sound”.

The inquest was attended by Clodagh’s mother , Mary Coll, sister Jacqueline Connolly and other relatives. Ms Coll and Ms Connolly broke down several times during the pathologist’s evidence.

No members of Alan Hawe’s family attended the inquest, though his parents were represented in court by their solicitor, Michael Lannigan.

Dr Curtis, the only witness at the afternoon sitting of the inquest, said Clodagh, Liam and Niall suffered injuries that may have been “defensive” as they tried to fight off the attack.

Clodagh had suffered fractures to bones in her right hand, while Liam had small cuts on his hands and his left forearm and Niall had an incise wound to the middle finger of his right hand.

“Death would have ensued rapidly,” Dr Curtis said, concluding his account of the effects of the injuries inflicted on Clodagh and her children.

He said Clodagh was discovered lying face down on a settee. An axe and a knife were lying on the floor close to the settee. She had received three axe blows to the head, one of which fractured her skull and lacerated her brain.

She suffered another stab wound to the back of her left shoulder that fractured her shoulder blade.

Dr Curtis said a toxicology report carried out on Alan Hawe found no presence of alcohol or drugs in his blood.

The inquest continues on Tuesday.