High Court dismisses woman’s case over delayed inquest into sister’s killing

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

The High Court dismissed Anne Birkinshaw’s case over the delay in holding an inquest into her sister Kathleen Cashin’s killing.

Birkinshaw brought personal injury proceedings in 2013, saying the delay in the inquest caused her psychological injury. The inquest took place in December 2011 after pressure from the family.

Mr Justice David Nolan said the case could not be saved, citing long inactivity and prejudice to the defence because potential witnesses had died or could not be found. He said the facts presented offered little realistic prospect of success. The report said Professor John Harbison, the state pathologist who prepared the post-mortem report, had died.