A murder trial in the Central Criminal Court yesterday heard that a 36-year-old mother of two received 69 wounds during the fatal attack on her.
State pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, told the court that during her post-mortem examination on Kilkenny woman, Ms Christine Quinn, she found 35 stab wounds, 13 puncture wounds and 21 incise wounds to her head, trunk and limbs. "One stab wound to the top of the skull still contained the blade of a knife," Dr Cassidy added, later identifying it in court.
Mr Jason Quinn, an Army private, found his mother dead two years ago in the family home on Greenfields Road, Kilkenny city. Mr Mark Costigan (18), Aylesbury, Kilkenny, has pleaded not guilty to the murder on December 5th, 2002. Mr Costigan was a friend of Mr Jason Quinn's younger brother, Ronan.
On the third day of evidence, the court heard details of the injuries which led to the death of Ms Quinn, 5 feet 6 inches, and of slim build. Dr Cassidy, who was deputy State pathologist at the time, said 16 stab wounds went through to the body cavities, causing 11 internal injuries, the most significant being a 7 cm stab wound to the heart which, she said "could have caused death".
The doctor concluded that the cause of death was due to multiple stab wounds to the trunk of the body, especially to the heart, lungs and liver. There were 14 wounds to the lungs, six stab wounds to the liver, and one through the aorta. There were also slits through the diaphragm and multiple injuries to the muscle between the ribs.
The abdominal cavities, both chest cavities and the air ways, all contained blood.
Dr Cassidy believed the "multiple and widespread nature of the injuries were consistent with a violent struggle . . . She obviously had put up some fight".
Dr Cassidy said the injuries to Ms Quinn's hands were consistent with defensive injuries and that one wound to the palm suggested that while trying to grab the attacker's arm, Ms Quinn had instead grabbed the blade.
There were multiple knife injuries to the face, arms and legs. The assailant had stabbed the victim down through the bridge of the nose, forcing the knife through the cartilage and out the nostril. Dr Cassidy described the victim's long, blonde hair as being "caked in blood".
The trial continues.