THE cause of death of a young woman whose charred body was found in a burnt out flat in Belfast could not be established, the North's State Pathologist has said. Prof Jack Crane said he could not exclude the possibility that Sharon Catherine King (19), had died from inhaling lighter fuel, but it was also possible she had died as a result of "some mechanical asphyxia".
Prof Crane was giving evidence yesterday in the trial at Belfast Crown Court of Mr Paul James Toland (22), who denies murdering Ms King in October 1992. He also denies setting fire to the flat they shared at Duncairn Gardens in north Belfast to cover up the crime.
Prof Crane told Mr Justice Higgins he had to be satisfied about the cause of death to approaching 100 per cent certainty, and in this case he was unable to state a definite cause.
He said he thought it unlikely Ms King had died while inhaling lighter fuel because the levels of gas in her body were considerably lower than in previous fatal cases. Also, is she had died this way he would have expected to find the canister near her body and not some distance away.
Also, if she had died this way he would have expected to find the canister near her body and not some distance away.
He also said it was clear Ms King had died before the fire started because there was no soot in her air passages and no carbon monoxide in her blood. Bruising to her body was consistent with her having been assaulted before death.
"I take the view that some of the injuries could have been due to an assailant kneeling on her upper chest applying pressure. If that was the case, it is possible for breathing to be compromised and for suffocation to be effected by the application of something over the mouth and nose to prevent breathing," he went on.
"It is possible that this woman died as a result of some form of mechanical asphyxia, but I can not conclude that with any degree of certainty," Prof Crane told the jury. Cross examination take place on Monday.