Jury shown barbell and machete seized from Pat Ward murder scene

The jury in the trial of a woman accused of murdering Pat Ward has been shown a barbell and a machete seized from her home, both of which a pathologist said could have caused the injuries.

Karen Marie McDonald (37) of McCrea Park, Clogher denies murdering Mr Ward on 9 February 2019, however her partner Niall Cox (27) of the same address who initially also denied murder, has since pleaded guilty.

The victim, a thirty-year-old father of four, suffered severe head trauma and stab wounds.

His lifeless body was found half-naked in an alleyway having been dragged from the scene of a brutal attack and abandoned.

The third day of the trial at Dungannon Crown Court heard from pathologist Professor Jack Crane who said in his opinion Mr Ward, “Died as a result of injuries sustained in an assault. He’d been beaten, kicked and stabbed. He had been struck a number of times to the head with a heavy, blunt elongated object causing lacerations to the scalp and bleeding over the surface of the brain.”

He continued, “There were extensive areas of bruising to the face, probably caused by being repeatedly kicked. Bruising extended to the inner mouth and a lower tooth was knocked out. A pattern of bruising to the chest could have been caused by the sole of an item of footwear. Other chest bruising was caused by a cylindrical object with a patterned surface.”

There were abrasions consistent with being dragged across a rough surface and there were superficial injuries caused by a sharp object being drawn across skin, particularly on the lower left leg.

He described an incision to Mr Ward’s right ear and cheek, a laceration from blunt trauma over the left side of the head, and a further ‘V’-shaped injury to the forehead.

A stab wound was found to the right shoulder, an upper lip incision as well as bruising and swelling to the nose, both eyes and jaw.

Three ribs were broken, one lung was bruised and there were, “At least seven bands of patterned bruising (to the chest) suggesting some sort of patterned instrument had been used.”

Stab wounds and other injuries were also noted to Mr Ward’s arms, consistent with him trying to defend himself from attack.

“If the arm is raised in a protective gesture, and a blow is struck, that’s typically the area to sustain injury,” said Professor Crane.

He said there is some evidence Mr Ward survived for at least 30 minutes after sustaining severe head trauma.

Professor Crane said, “There was extensive blood loss which, combined with the head and chest injuries were responsible for rapid but not immediate death”

Under cross-examination, defence counsel enquired if the object used to strike Mr Ward to the head could have been a barbell which was found at the scene, as was a machete, both of which were shown to the jury.

Professor Crane confirmed a pattern on the barbell was consistent with an injury sustained by Mr Ward.

He agreed a significant degree of force was used to inflict the injuries and the stab wounds could have been caused by the machete.

He also confirmed there would have been significant bleeding, particularly from the head wound and it was possible the injuries were caused in more than one location.

The trial continues.

By Tanya Fowles

Local Democracy