Courts / Louth / Report
Woman's skull fracture may have been caused by 'stomping or kicking', pathologist tells murder trial
Summary
A 62-year-old woman died from severe blunt force trauma to the head and suffered multiple fractures to her skull, including one which may have been caused by 'a stomping or kicking type of impact', a pathologist has told the Central Criminal Court. Luke Donnelly (29), of no fixed abode, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of his mother Catherine Henry at her apartment on Bridge Street in Dundalk, Co Louth on a date unknown between May 23 and 24, 2023. The trial jury heard on the day the case opened that Mr Donnelly accepts he caused multiple fractures to his mother's skull and that he left a blood-stained footprint on her back. State pathologist Dr Heidi Okkers today told Garret Baker SC, prosecuting, that she conducted a post-mortem on Ms Henry on May 25, 2023 and found that her hair, hands and face were heavily blood-stained. She said death had been pronounced after 8pm on May 24, 2023.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Woman's skull fracture may have been caused by 'stomping or kicking', pathologist tells murder trial. Charges or matters: murder but guilty to the manslaughter of his mother Catherine Henry at her apartment on Bridge Street in Dundalk, Co Louth on a date unknown between May 23 and 24, 2023. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- May 23 Hearing Or Sentence
- May 25, 2023 Other
- May 24, 2023 Other
- 2026-01-28 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: murder but guilty to the manslaughter of his mother Catherine Henry at her apartment on Bridge Street in Dundalk, Co Louth on a date unknown between May 23 and 24, 2023 (Alleged Or Contested)
Defendant
Charges: murder but guilty to the manslaughter of his mother Catherine Henry at her apartment on Bridge Street in Dundalk, Co Louth on a date unknown between May 23 and 24, 2023 (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Places mentioned
Topics
Related court reports
- Worker sacked over punch-up with takeaway driver wins job back
- Legal first sees miscarriage of justice certificate for IRA membership conviction quashed
- Lorry driver who imported €1m in cannabis jailed for five years
- Explosive device allegedly stored in National Museum at Collins' Barracks
- On-bail home invader who dragged car owner along ground has sentence cut
- Amateur fighter who 'brutally killed' allegedly abusive mother - kicking her to death and stepping on her 'lifeless body' as he left her to die - gets 6.5 years
If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.
Email a correction request