Witness tells Cork murder trial about seeing 'very agitated' man minutes before he died

THE Mallow murder trial was told of an elderly man’s extraordinary encounter with the deceased victim only minutes before his death from a stab wound.

Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and the jury heard last week that the late Conor Quinn ran into the park in Mallow shortly before 8pm on July 12, 2018.

Today they heard evidence from Ted Tuohy and evangelist Emmanuel Adebisi, who described their interaction with a young man that evening.

Mr Tuohy said he was in the park, talking to his friend Emmanuel and this man’s friend, an evangelist bishop who was visiting from Germany.

“All of a sudden, I heard a man shouting: ‘I am looking for a black man and a white man and I’m going to kill the white man’. I said to him: ‘I wouldn’t be talking about killing anyone’,” Mr Tuohy said.

“Eventually, he pulled out something — a strap. And I said: ‘You’re not going to kill anyone with that’.

“He was very agitated. I couldn’t calm him down. I didn’t smell any alcohol from him. David [the visiting bishop] took his hand and held it. He said: ‘Stop holding my hand’,” Mr Tuohy said.

The young man told them his mother and father were dead. The men tried to calm the young man down but could not.

Prosecution barrister Ray Boland asked the witness about the strap. Mr Tuohy said the young man waved it around. “I thought it was harmless,” he added.

Mr Tuohy said the young man was angry but he [Mr Tuohy] did not know what caused this.

Defence senior counsel Brian McInerney cross-examined him and said the young man “did not seem to have much time for God or Jesus”.

Mr Tuohy said the young man told them he liked all people and named 10 or 12 different nationalities he liked and said he had no problem with black people.

“He kissed David on the left side of his forehead,” he said.

Mr McInerney suggested: “It was quite bizarre behaviour, out-of-control behaviour.” Mr Tuohy agreed but said: “I personally was not afraid of him.”

Mr McInerney suggested it was an extraordinary appearance and the witness agreed. Mr Tuohy said: “I couldn’t see him killing anyone with the strap.”

Emmanuel Adebisi said the young man had what he described as “black plastic, it was something you can extend or close”.

He recalled the young man said that he was going to “fix” the man he was looking for.

“He was angry and said: ‘Where is God when my mother died of cancer?’ and he said so many other things.”

Mr McInerney said: “This was an angry young man.”

Mr Adebisi said: “Of course, yes. I didn’t know why he was angry.”

The defence senior counsel then suggested: “He was angry and dangerous.”

The witness replied: “Dangerous? I wouldn’t say that.”

Tyler Jackson, of Ballydaheen West, Mallow, Co Cork, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court, sitting in Cork, where he pleaded not guilty to the charge of murdering 24-year-old Conor Quinn at Bridge St, Mallow, Co Cork, on July 12, 2018.

Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster testified today that the heart of the 24-year-old man was penetrated by a single stab wound which resulted in his death.

Dr Bolster said the cause of death was haemorrhage and shock with partially collapsed lung resulting from a single stab wound to the chest.

The knife entered from the side towards the centre and penetrated the heart, the pathologist said.

“The stab wound went into the ventricle chamber of the heart which pumps blood out into the aorta,” Dr Bolster said.

This resulted in the partial collapse of the left lung after the knife went through the chest. The fracture of the rib would have required at least a moderate degree of force, the pathologist said.

Prosecution barrister Ray Boland told the pathologist that last week there was a suggestion that in an altercation with one male, the deceased perhaps stabbed himself.

Dr Bolster replied: “In my opinion that would be very unlikely… It would be a very unusual place to stab yourself and it would require at least a moderate degree of force.”

Cross-examining, Mr McInerney said one witness saw the deceased run across the road and colliding with the accused. He asked about that collision — and if the deceased had a knife: “Might that amount to moderate force?”

The pathologist said it was unlikely.

Mr McInerney continued: “But not impossible.” Dr Bolster replied: “Nothing in the world is impossible but very unlikely.”

Forensic scientist Dr Paula Allen said the toxicology examination of the deceased showed 181mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood and 237mg of alcohol per 100ml of urine. Cocaine was also detected, along with bulking agents for that drug.

Lawyers will make their closing speeches tomorrow. The prosecution closed its case today and the defence did not call any witnesses.