Kieran Quilligan's injuries were 'consistent with severe assault', Cork court hears
Kieran Quilligan. Photo: Facebook
A text message from a man accused of murdering Kieran Quilligan whose skeleton was found in Little Island stated – “The fella that robbed me… got a hiding and was thrown in the boot after,” the judge and jury were told today.
Also this afternoon, assistant state pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster gave evidence of her findings in relation to skeletal remains of Kieran Quilligan that he sustained multiple fractures to his skull and body consistent with blunt force blows from a hammer and fists.
Dr Bolster said that while the precise cause of death could not be determined she said the injuries were “consistent with severe assault in the laneway”.
Investigating gardaí had informed Dr Bolster of their allegations that he was seriously assaulted on the steps of the laneway at the side of St Fin Barre’s cathedral.
Sergeant Maurice O’Connor testified today that he examined mobile phones that were seized as part of the investigation and he presented evidence of texts between one of the accused, Niall Long, and his mother, Janice Long.
From Janice Long’s phone at 6.23pm on September 2 2023 is the text: “OK but jeep stinks of Dettol.”
The reply from Niall Long’s phone states:
There was evidence in the trial that on the morning of September 1 2023 on a laneway near MacCurtain Street, Cork, Kieran Quilligan and John Paul Thornton (also known as Bubbles) assaulted Niall Long and robbed him of heroin, crack cocaine and cash when there was an altercation arising out of a drug deal.
Donal O’Sullivan prosecution senior counsel described this robbery as the instigating factor in the murder trial.
Dr Bolster testified that she went to an area known as Whitewell on January 29 2024 where the skeletal remains were found in a jute bag in a ravine at the side of a road, partly covered by mud and vegetation. The first thing she saw was the pelvic bone protruding and she said, “the skull was totally separated from the body.” In one small piece of remaining skin, part of a tattoo was visible and it consisted of one word, “mother”.
The pathologist said there were old healed fractures to the remains but there were multiple fractures described as perimortem – occurring close to the time of death. They included several significant skull and facial area fractures as well as numerous rib fractures.
Referring to a femur fracture she found “a circular indentation, suggestive of a blow from a blunt weapon like a hammer.” Later the pathologist referred to other “circular injuries, strongly suggestive of hammer blows.” Due to the absence of organs because of decomposition it was not possible to give a precise cause of death but there was no doubt at all but that there was a severe assault, Dr Bolster said.
Cross-examined by Brendan Grehan for the accused man, Luke Taylor, Dr Bolster said there was no evidence of a shooting or of stab wounds.
The pathologist said that a cable tie around the left ankle and right shin and two knotted pieces of plastic around the neck were likely to have been used for the purpose of carrying the body. She accepted Mr Grehan’s suggestion that the tied plastics could have been used as a ligature.
On the question of whether there could have been a bag over the head of the deceased, Dr Bolster said: “There is no evidence of that in my opinion, no.”
A white Toyota Rav car associated with Niall Long was forensically examined and blood stains matched the DNA profile of the deceased, it was alleged in the trial today by another witness. Dr Sarah Fleming of Forensic Science Ireland testified in relation to her examination of evidence gathered as part of the investigation. The items related to a Toyota Rav car associated with Niall Long and a white bucket with cleaning items that were seized from outside his house in September 2023.
Dr Fleming examined a light bloodstain on the wash care label of part of a T-shirt found in the bucket and DNA profiles were found for Kieran Quilligan and Niall Long, and for an unknown person.
Blood staining on the bristles of a brush matched the DNA of Kieran Quilligan, Dr Fleming said. Similarly a swab of suspected blood from the boot of the car matched the DNA of Kieran Quilligan.
A mat from the boot of the car had DNA profile matches for Kieran Quilligan and Niall Long, the witness said.
Bloodstaining on a headrest had a DNA profile match for Kieran Quilligan, Dr Fleming said.
27-year-old Luke Taylor, formerly of Cherry Lawn, Blackrock, Cork, and 33-year-old Niall Long, formerly of St. Michael’s Close, Mahon, Cork, are on trial at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork facing the same charge of murder. The murder count which each man denies, states that on a date unknown between September 1 2023 and January 29 2024 at an unknown location within the state in the District Court area of Cork city he did murder Kieran Quilligan, 47, contrary to Common Law.
The trial continues before Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford and the ten men and two women of the jury at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork.
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