Court hears victim at centre of Cobh murder trial suffered 'subtotal amputation' of his left leg

The victim at the centre of the Cobh murder trial suffered “subtotal amputation” of the left leg and extremely rapid blood loss when struck from behind the left knee with a sword that cut through muscle, artery and bone.

This evidence was given by assistant state pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster today in the trial of 30-year-old Dylan Scannell of O’Rahilly Street, Cobh, County Cork, who denies murdering 33-year-old chef, Ian Baitson, in Eurospar car park, Newtown Road, Cobh, on March 19, 2024 but its his manslaughter.

Dr Bolster gave evidence today in the case being heard by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of six men and six women at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork.

Cause of death was haemorrhage and shock complicated by brain damage due to lack of blood supply from an injury caused by sharp force.

Cross-examined by defence senior counsel Tom Creed, Dr Bolster agreed that the rapidity of blood loss would have led rapidly to the injured party’s collapse. The pathologist added that the brain is particularly vulnerable to lack of blood supply.

Blood vessels

Dr Bolster said large blood vessels were located in the left leg where the injury was inflicted. 

“It would have bled very rapidly and very profusely,” she said.

What she described as a single blow from a sharp weapon like a Samurai sword caused a fracture to the knee bone and sliced through the two bones below the knee – the tibia and fibula.

Dr Bolster outlined the background information that was given to her before carrying out the autopsy.

“On March 15, 2024, at 8.58pm at the car park of Eurospar in Cobh, Ian Baitson was attacked by a male who struck him a single blow of something like a machete. There was extreme blood loss and he quickly lost consciousness… He succumbed to his injury and at 10.47am on March 19, 2024 he was pronounced dead.” 

Dr Bolster said of the deceased: “He was previously healthy. He was running road races up to his death. He was a habitual cannabis . He had given up alcohol in the six months prior to his death.” 

When his blood was analysed, drugs and alcohol were not detected and played no role in his death, the pathologist said.

Autopsy

Dr Bolster said that when she commenced the autopsy the body was presented in a blue, zipped up body-bag and the top of this bag also contained two teddy-bears in plastic bags.

The incident at the car park occurred on March 15, Mr Baitson died on March 19, and on March 27 a sword was found during a garda search.

Detective Garda William Hosford testified today that gardaí assembled to conduct a search at 8am on March 27, 2024 at Connolly Street and concentrated on a shingle beach nearby at The Mall in Cobh.

“I came to the slip area by the old lifeboat station. I was at the water’s edge, approximately 10 feet from the edge of the slip. I noticed a black object in the seaweed on jagged rocks. At first I thought it was some kind of cable. As soon as I lifted it out of the water I noticed it was a sword,” Det Garda Hosford said.

An evidence bag was then produced while the detective was in the witness box. 

He put on a pair of blue rubber gloves to handle the exhibit. He then held up a black-handled sword and removed it from a black scabbard. The blade appeared to be rusty and was approximately one metre long.

The trial continues.