Courts / Cork / Report

Homeless man killed on O'Connell St suffered stab wound to jugular, trial hears

Summary

In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster testified that Peter Donnelly, a 39‑year‑old homeless man from Kilkenny, was killed on Dublin's O'Connell Street on the early hours of 11 June 2019. Dr Bolster described two fatal stab wounds inflicted by a single‑blade knife: a 4 cm‑deep wound to Donnelly's jugular vein and a branch of the aorta, and a V‑shaped wound near his backbone that missed the spine. The left lung had collapsed, with 500 ml of fresh blood in the cavity. Donnelly's blood alcohol level was 241 mg ml⁻¹, and cocaine, heroin and antidepressants were present. The knife recovered by Gardaí was 14 cm and matched the wounds. The case is before a jury of eight men and four women, with Mr Damien Singleton, 30, pleading not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter of Donnelly. The trial continues tomorrow.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Homeless man killed on O'Connell St suffered stab wound to jugular, trial hears. Charges or matters: murder but guilty to the manslaughter of his friend Peter Donnelly. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• June 11, 2019 Incident
• 2021-09-22 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Trial Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report