Murder accused is a 'big soft teddy bear', trial hears
A man accused of murdering his partner has been described as a "big soft teddy bear" and a gentleman by a friend of the couple giving evidence in his trial.
Lois Farrell told defence counsel Caroline Biggs SC that she knew the accused Desmond 'Des' Duffy (aged 70) and the deceased Desmond 'Dessie' Sullivan (aged 59) for about eight years and was friends with both men. When they were drunk she often noticed that Mr Sullivan would put Mr Duffy down, interrupt him and talk over him.
Ms Farrell met the two men in a pub on the evening Mr Sullivan died. It was her birthday and they invited her along to give her a gift of earrings and buy her drinks.
As they got more drunk she said Mr Sullivan became rude and disrespectful towards Mr Duffy. Mr Sullivan, she said, was the boss in the relationship, would tell Mr Duffy what to do and at times it seemed as though Mr Duffy wasn't allowed to talk.
She had seen similar behaviour a number of times before, when Mr Sullivan was drunk and noted that Mr Duffy was always quiet and submissive. When Ms Biggs asked her if the accused ever fought back the witness said: "I never even heard him raise his voice before, He might even just walk away at times."
She described the accused as intelligent but lacking confidence. He would walk with his head down and she never saw him react to Mr Sullivan's behaviour. She told Ms Biggs that she stands over a description she gave to gardaí of Mr Duffy as a "big soft teddy bear and a gentleman".
Mr Duffy has pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Sullivan at the home they shared in Somerville Park, Rathmines, Dublin 6 on May 23, 2016. He told gardaí he was acting in self-defence and is on trial at the Central Criminal Court.
State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy told prosecution counsel Conor Devally SC that Mr Sullivan died from compression of his neck causing a lack of oxygen to the brain. Mr Sullivan's hypertensive heart disease and a combination of alcohol and Diazepam in his system may have contributed to his death, she said.
She explained that the deceased's history of heart disease increased his risk of arrhythmia of the heart.
Professor Cassidy agreed with Ms Biggs that the injuries to Mr Sullivan's Adam's Apple are consistent with the neck being compressed by a "pincer-like" use of the fingers and thumb of one hand against the neck. She said the presence of petechiae haemhorrhage around the eyes suggested that the pressure was applied for some seconds. Research suggested that it takes 15 seconds for petechiae to haemhorrhage but it could be shorter, she said.
The prosecution has completed its evidence in the trial. Justice Paul McDermott asked the jury of six men and six women to return on Wednesday.
