A JURY at the inquest of a man who died after being ejected from a pub in a choke hold has recommended that security guards receive specific restraint training.
Anthony Hennessy (41), Chapelfield, Gurranebraher, Cork, died after an incident at the Mo Chúisle pub on Blarney Street, Cork, on March 13th, 2008.
CCTV footage showed he had been removed from the premises in a choke hold and continued to be restrained for a further six minutes outside before gardaí arrived.
The cause of death was neck compression, with acute alcohol intoxication as a contributory factor, according to State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy.
Mr Hennessy suffered a fractured Adam’s apple, which Dr Cassidy noted required a considerable amount of force.
He had been socialising in bars throughout the day and is thought to have consumed 12 pints and one double vodka and Red Bull.
He was refused service in a number of bars and was forcefully ejected from the Local Bar on Military Hill hours before his death.
According to Dr Cassidy, this earlier incident was significant as it is possible the thyroid cartilage [Adam’s apple] was cracked and weakened before Mr Hennessy was ejected from Mo Chúisle.
“A vertical fracture of the thyroid cartilage is unusual, it requires a considerable amount of force and would more commonly result from a forceful blow to the neck,” Dr Cassidy said.
The inquest heard that Mr Hennessy entered Mo Chúisle shortly before 11.30pm. He was served one pint but this was removed from him as owner Niall Burns and his brothers Terry and Tony escorted him off the premises.
He was escorted off the premises at 11.54pm and gardaí were called immediately. They arrived at 12.02am and requested that Mr Hennessy be released. He fell, resuscitation attempts failed and he was pronounced dead at Cork University Hospital at 1.23am.
Dr Cassidy said Mr Hennessy was moderately intoxicated by alcohol, which could have made him more vulnerable to the asphyxiating effects of neck compression.
Det Garda Sgt Denis Cahill said CCTV footage showed Niall Burns holding Mr Hennessy in a choke hold grip “with his left arm around his neck”. Criminal proceedings followed.
Mr Burns was found not guilty of reckless endangerment by a jury in November 2009. Terry and Tony Burns were charged with reckless endangerment but these charges were withdrawn.
* This article was amended on April 5th, 2011