Mayo inquest adjourned after witnesses to Westport street altercation fail to attend

The inquest into the death of a man who died after receiving a punch during an altercation outside a Westport pub was adjourned after a number of witnesses failed to attend.

Peter McDermott (60) of Marino Lodge, Murrisk, Westport died in Mayo University Hospital on September 10, 2023 as a result of a head injury sustained in a fall after receiving a punch outside the Clock Tavern on High Street, Westport in the early hours of September 9, 2023.

The inquest into his death opened in Castlebar Courthouse this morning and it is estimated that over 20 witnesses were due to give evidence. However it emerged that up to a dozen witnesses who had been due to give evidence failed to attend.

Mr Damien Tansey, solicitor for the Mr McDermott family told Dr Eleanor Fitzgerald, Coroner for Mayo, that the family were attending the inquest 'in strength' and they were seeking 'a full, painstaking, forensic investigation'.

He expressed concern at the absence of a number of witnesses who live in Mayo who he wished to cross examine were not present and 'reluctantly' he was seeking an adjournment to ensure they were all present. 

“The deceased young widow and daughter are here and as are all his siblings and they have come here expecting a full forensic investigation that would include all the witnesses being available to be cross examined and have evidence tested. It transpires now that most of the witnesses are not here.

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“A lot of the witnesses who are not here are from Castlebar and Westport and there is no reason in the world why they are not here to give evidence and be cross examined," he said.

Sergeant Noel Crinnegan, Court Presenter accepted that a number of witnesses had not turned up but asked Dr Fitzgerald if evidence from witnesses who were due to attend via a videolink could be heard.

However, Mr Tansey objected to this saying that it was not satisfactory to his clients that the hearing would be fragmented and wanted the evidence heard together.

Dr Fitzgerald commented that from her point of view there was no conflict in the statements she read but this was not accepted by Mr Tansey who said there were a 'lot of inconsistencies' in the statements which have to be explored.

A native of Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim, Mr McDermott was a married father of one daughter who had moved to the Westport area around 2015 having worked in construction in London and New York. 

He received a head injury after falling following an altercation with another man outside the Clock Tavern in Westport and a subsequent post mortem found the cause of death was due to a traumatic head injury caused by a propelled fall.

Vincent 'Jimmy' Connolly of Cedar Hill, Westport was subsequently charged with manslaughter but was acquitted by a jury following a trial in Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court in July.

The inquest was informed that Mr Connolly was now residing in America and he is not expected to give evidence in person. During the proceedings he was referred to as 'the assailant' by Mr Tansey and was asked by Dr Laura Byrne, counsel for Mr Connolly, that in future he refer to her client by his surname.

Dr Fitzgerald agreed to the adjournment on the grounds that the family believed there were inconsistencies in the statements which had to be explored and the evidence should not be fragmented.

It was agreed by Mr Tansey that statements which are not deemed 'controversial' can be read into the record and these witnesses are not deemed necessary to attend. 

Dr Fitzgerald adjourned the inquest but commented that it will be 'some time in the new year' before she can set a date for the inquest to be heard as it will take time to arrange for all the witnesses to be available to give evidence on the same day.