The State Pathologist said yesterday that a middle-aged man whose naked body was found in his cottage in Connemara in 1997 had been strangled.
The man's nephew, Mr Patrick Joseph McGreene (29), with addresses at Corrib Park and St Mary's Road, Galway, has denied the murder of his uncle, Mr Tom Clisham (53), between November 24th, 1997 and December 4th, 1997 at Inveran, Co Galway.
He has also pleaded not guilty to causing him serious harm.
Prof John Harbison told the Central Criminal Court that Mr Clisham died from asphyxia caused by manual strangulation.
It was "rather unpleasant" inside the cottage, he said, with dogs' excreta scattered around. The arms appeared to have been tied around the back. The deceased could have tied himself up for "masochistic kicks". The most significant feature in the post-mortem was the extensive "de-fleshing" of the body, including the entire head, part of the neck and right down the spine to the level of the lowest rib. This did not suggest any unusual savagery. In fact, it was "almost the norm" where animals were left with human bodies.
The internal post-mortem examination revealed haemorrhages into the mastoid air cells behind the left ear. Such bleeding can occur into that area when there is a struggle to breathe. He noted two incise wounds, on the hand and on the back of the right elbow.
The pathologist said "there was some suggestion that anal intercourse might have taken place."
The trial continues.