Pathologist gives evidence on Bobby Ryan’s injuries at murder trial

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

Professor Jack Crane told a Tipperary murder trial that he believed Bobby Ryan died from head injuries caused by blows from a blunt object. Patrick Quirke was on trial accused of murdering Mr Ryan, a part-time DJ known as Mr Moonlight. He denied the allegation. The proceedings were reported on 27 March 2019.

Mr Ryan went missing in June 2011. His body was found in a disused run-off tank at his girlfriend’s farm in April 2013. Mr Quirke was leasing the farm at the time and had previously been in a relationship with its owner, Mary Lowry.

Professor Crane had reviewed the autopsy report of former Deputy State Pathologist Dr Khalid Jabber, who was unavailable to give evidence. The report detailed multiple rib fractures, a broken thigh bone and multiple fractures to the head and face. Professor Crane said Dr Jabber concluded that the cause of death was blunt force trauma.

Professor Crane said another pathologist, Dr Michael Curtis, had suggested a vehicle impact as a possible cause of death. Professor Crane accepted that was possible but said there was no real evidence to support it and that the injuries were not typical of a vehicle impact.

Under questioning by defence counsel Lorcan Staines, Professor Crane agreed he had only recently learned that a concrete slab broke as it was removed from the tank. He said he could not rule out a large, heavy piece of concrete falling onto the body.

Forensic anthropologist Dr René Gapert said he doubted that small pieces of concrete falling on the body caused the leg fracture, although he could not rule it out. He could not say whether the rib injuries occurred during recovery, and said a photograph did not make it possible to tell whether the leg injury occurred in 2011 or 2013.