A consultant forensic pathologist has told an inquest into the death of a man who was restrained by gardaí during a search of a house that there was no evidence to indicate excessive restraint had been applied.
David O’Mahony (22), McSwiney Villas, Gurranabraher, Cork city, was restrained by gardaí using handcuffs when they were carrying out a drugs search at the rented house where he lived on November 14th, 2007. Mr O’Mahony became unwell at the house and was pronounced dead that day.
A postmortem by Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster found that he died of cocaine, alcohol and lignocaine intoxication during restraint. A toxicology analysis also detected a low level of heroin.
British consultant forensic pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd told an inquest at Cork City Coroner’s Court that he agreed with Dr Bolster’s cause of death.
The inquest continues today.