Inquest into death of man struck with iron bar adjourned

Gardaí are awaiting directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to a fatal assault on a Slovakian man at a filling station in north Cork earlier this year, an inquest has heard.

Insp Joe O'Connor said gardaí were awaiting directions after a file on the death of Ludovit Pasztor following an assault at the back of the Amber Oil Filing Station on the Dublin Road in Fermoy on February 21st was sent to the DPP.

Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster told the inquest that Mr Pasztor died due to blunt force trauma to the head.

The inquest heard how Mr Pasztor, who lived with his wife, Andrea Koviacova and two daughters, Andrea (15) and Eva (11) at Glencullen on the Duntaheen Road in Fermoy, was pronounced dead at the scene.

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North Cork Coroner Dr Michael Kennedy granted an application by Insp O'Connor under Section 25 of the Coroner's Act to adjourn the inquest.

Dr Kennedy extended his sympathies to Ms Koviacova and her family on their tragic loss, saying it was a devastating blow for the family to lose their husband and father at such a relatively young age and in such a tragic manner.

It’s understood that Mr Pasztor and a friend had become involved in an altercation with two Polish truck drivers who had parked at Amber garage.

Iron bar

Initially Mr Pasztor and his friend left the scene but they returned some 20 minutes later armed with an iron bar. The row escalated into a fight and the iron bar was taken from Mr Pasztor and was used to attack him. He received a single blow to the head which knocked him unconscious and proved fatal.

Mr Pasztor’s friend received non-threatening defensive injuries to his arms and legs and was taken by ambulance to Cork University Hospital but before he left, he spoke briefly to gardaí and pointed out the two truck drivers who spoke to investigators initially as witnesses.

However, gardaí later arrested the two men for questioning about an assault causing harm under Section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act. They were later released without charge.

Mr Pasztor came to Ireland in 2010 and worked in Kepak Meats in Watergrasshill and later in Silver Pail Dairy in Fermoy but had left to become a full- time carer for his ill wife.