State pathologist report: Heart attack was linked to burglary
Grim details were recalled yesterday of the crime which struck fear into rural Ireland when a quiet Co Limerick bachelor collapsed and died as he came upon two men carrying out a burglary at his house
Cousins David Casey, aged 21, from Coolock, Dublin and Michael Casey, aged 33, Clonlong Halting Site, Limerick, had pleaded guilty at Limerick Circuit Court to carrying out the burglary at the home of John O'Donoghue, at Toomaline, Doon, Co Limerick on the afternoon of August 27, 2015.
Prior to breaking into Mr O'Donoghue's home, the Casey's and an unnamed third man who acted as driver, committed two house burglaries in the nearby Cappamore area.
Sgt Michael Reidy, the detective who led the investigation, said that on the afternoon of the crime, Mr O'Donoghue, aged 62, and his sister Christina had left their home to travel, for shopping, into Tipperary town.
They arrived home at around 2pm and they saw a car, a black Renault Laguna on the opposite of the road with a male occupant.
They noticed that the front gate was slightly open, despite having closed it when they left. They became suspicious os someone being in the house.
Mr O'Donoghue approached a side door and noticed that part of it had been broken. His sister had told him: "Be careful."
The driver of the black car then started honking the horn to alert his accomplices.
Mr O'Donoghue picked up a shovel from a shed.
As he stood near the door, his sister saw he was becoming unwell and he collapsed in the yard.
She did everything to assist him and called on the intruders to come out and help.
"I don't care. I just want somebody to come and help by brother, John," she cried out.
But nobody came.
The Casey's fled after coming out a window taking with them a gold watch, cash in sterling and dollars and a car key.
Garda Bill Collins, who arrived, tried to revive Mr O'Donoghue. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A report by State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy said the cause of death - heart failure - was linked to the burglary.
While there was no sign of an assault on Mr O'Donoghue or him having been involved in a struggle, in evaluating the cause of death, she could not separate the circumstances in which he found himself.
The stress of the situation would have increased his heart rate and blood pressure precipitating his a heart attack.
Sgt Reidy said after the raid, the two Casey's took off through fields and were later arrested near Franey's Cross, over 2kms from Mr O'Donoghue's home when they were tracked down by Garda Collins and Garda Elaine O'Donovan.
Sgt Reidy said it was an organised crime and the Laguna had been acquired the day before on the Done Deal website.
The modus operandi of the Caseys and the third man, referred to as Mr X, was to drive around rural areas.
One would act as a look-out selecting houses to break into.
They would usually target isolated houses in rural areas, selecting older houses and cottages as they were less likely to have security devices fitted.
It was stated David Casey was out on bail at the time of the crime.
Judge Tom O'Donnell adjourned sentence to December 15.
