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Pregnant woman died due to "manual strangulation", murder trial hears

Summary

In a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court, Stephen Cahoon, aged 43, pleaded not guilty to the death of Jean Teresa Quigley, aged 30, who was found strangled at Cornshell Fields, Derry, on 26 July 2008. State Pathologist Professor Jack Crane testified that Quigley's body lay on her left side, naked except for socks, with extensive bruising and bloodstained fluid around the mouth and face. He described multiple bruises on the head, neck, chest, abdomen and arms, noting that the neck injuries were consistent with manual strangulation. Crane also examined the uterus, finding an enlarged uterus containing a male embryo of about 10 weeks' gestation, weighing four grams. Forensic Scientist Matthew James Greenhalgh performed a paternity test, concluding it was 6000 times more likely that Cahoon was the father of the unborn child. The trial, with a jury of eight men and four women, is scheduled to continue for two weeks.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Pregnant woman died due to "manual strangulation", murder trial hears. Charges or matters: murdering Jean Teresa Quigley (30) at Cornshell Fields in Derry on July 26th, 2008. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• July 26th, 2008 Hearing Or Sentence
• July 28th Hearing Or Sentence
• 2015-11-03 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial Violent Crime

Read the original CNI report