A man killed in a street brawl had taken drink and drugs, a murder trial jury at the Central Criminal Court heard yesterday. Mr Gerald or Gerard Dunne, (26), Rafter's Avenue, Drimnagh, has denied that on January 27th, 1999, at Dolphin's Road, Dublin, he murdered Liam Thompson (20), Wood lawn Park Grove, Firhouse, Tallaght.
The Deputy State Pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, said she carried out a post-mortem on the body. She found lacerations and knife wounds but concluded Mr Thompson had died from "stab wounds to the trunk". Dr Cassidy said Mr Thompson was over the legal limit when he was killed and there were small amounts of cocaine found in his blood. There was 278 mg per cent of alcohol in Mr Thompson's blood sample, 80 mg per cent being the legal limit for driving. Injuries were consistent with having been inflicted with a steak knife, presented in court as one which was taken from the canal near the scene of the stabbing, allegedly under instructions from the accused.
In cross-examination, Dr Cassidy agreed with Mr Patrick MacEntee SC, defending, that it may have been one of a set and that another knife of similar dimensions may have been used in the attack. "We have three stab wounds, each could have been caused by a different knife," she said. Mr MacEntee put it to the pathologist that although the small traces of cocaine were found in Mr Thompson's blood, it was possible he had been given a blood transfusion in hospital which would have interfered with her results.
Dr Cassidy said a transfusion would have contributed to the drug being "flushed out" of Mr Thompson's system. Dr Cassidy said although the effects of the drug would normally be "short-lived" in excitement, making the heart beat faster, in "combination with alcohol you would get a heightened effect".
Previously the court was told that Mr Thompson was walking on Dolphin's Road when he was set upon by a man the prosecution alleges was Mr Dunne. A row developed over the use of a phone. The prosecution alleges that another man fetched a knife and gave it to the accused, Mr Dunne, who stabbed Mr Thompson.