Man was dead before mansion fire started
A man whose severely burnt body was found in a derelict mansion was dead before the fire started a Central Criminal Court jury has heard.
Alan Walsh (aged 39) of 43 Edenmore Park in Coolock denies the murder of Dermot Sheridan at Red Court, Seafield Road East, Clontarf between August 8 and August 9, 2007. He also denies arson at the same time and place.
Mr Walsh told gardaí that he had attacked Mr Sheridan when he insulted Mr Walsh’s family. They had been drinking together for most of the day. Mr Walsh said he kicked Mr Sheridan up to 100 times as he lay on the ground in the kitchen of the deserted house.
Dr Michael Curtis told prosecuting counsel Mr Mark Durack SC that Mr Sheridan’s body was so badly burnt it was impossible to determine an exact cause of death. However he said that Mr Sheridan did not have any soot in his lungs or carbon monoxide in his blood, indicating that he was dead before the fire started.
Dr Curtis said that, apart from an old fracture in his left thigh, for which he had been fitted with an orthopaedic metal rod, Mr Sheridan appeared to have been in reasonably good health.
However, his liver appeared to have significant fatty deposits.
Forensic anthropologist Dr Louise Buckley told the court that Mr Sheridan’s body was so badly burnt it had to be removed from the rubble left after the fire using archaeological techniques. His bones were badly charred and his limbs had detached from his torso and fragmented in the fire.
Earlier in the trial the jury heard that Mr Walsh and Mr Sheridan had been drinking with another man, Thomas Fitzpatrick in St Anne’s Park, Raheny since lunchtime on August 8.
Mr Walsh told gardai that, at around 9pm, they walked down to Red House and continued drinking inside. After about an hour a row developed between himself and Mr Sheridan when Mr Sheridan insulted his family and told Mr Walsh he was growing more like his alcoholic father.
He said he hit Mr Sheridan over the head with four different wine bottles which had been lying around then kicked him for about an hour.
The trial continues tomorrow before Mr Justice Barry White and the jury of eight men and four women. Mr Justice White told the jury they were likely to begin their deliberations on Wednesday.
