GARDAÍ in Limerick have ruled out an assault with a pool cue as the possible cause of death of a young Limerick man who was found unconscious at a house in the city last year.
The circumstances surrounding the death of a 24-year-old man were recalled at Limerick Coroner’s Court last week.
He was found unresponsive sitting on a couch in a relatives house in the early hours of the morning on July 21 last year. The man’s sister said that when she touched her brother, she found that his body was cold.
She told Gardaí that her brother had been assaulted by two men with a pool cue a week earlier and within days of his death he suffered cuts and bruises when he fell from his bike.
Deputy State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan was alerted and a post mortem examination was carried out.
However, following a full investigation, Gardai said that they did not have any concerns over foul play in the case.
Dr Mulligan said that while the young man had several cuts and abrasions around his body consistent with a fall from a bike, there was no evidence of any elongated sunken head wounds which would have indicated an assault with a pool cue.
Toxicology reports concluded that the man had lethal doses of alcohol in his system as well as xanax and morphine.
Trace levels of heroin were also found but this was attributed to passive smoke inhaled from another man who was taking drugs in the sitting room.
Coroner John McNamara said that due to the elevated presence of drugs and alcohol, it was most likely that the 24-year-old passed away in his sleep after he fell into a coma.
A verdict of death by misadventure was entered.
