Beating by West Belfast brothers 'killed their uncle'

A Belfast man subjected to "a violent assault, a multitude of injuries" by two of his nephews could have died from a heart attack at any time.

But the blood loss from the beating at the hands of Gerard and Danny Gaskin caused the death of Seamus Holland, 55, Belfast Crown Court was told.

Assistant State Pathologist Dr James Lyness, later agreed with the defence that had Mr Holland been given a combination of liquids, blood or plasma, he might not have had a heart attack after being taken to hospital.

His 30-year-old nephew Gerard Gaskin and his 22-year-old brother Danny, both from Gortnamona Way, admit attacking him in the early hours of 21 November, 2010 in his Upton Court home in the Glen Road area of west Belfast, but deny his murder.

After giving themselves up to police the brothers claim they went to "hurt" their uncle because they believed he was a rapist.

Dr Lyness said that Mr Holland, an alcoholic, had sustained multiple injuries that could have been caused by a combination of kicking, stomping or punching or blows from a blunt object such as a rod-like weapon.

Mr Holland, he said, had severe heart problems and this "could have caused his sudden and rapid death from a heart attack at anytime".

However, Dr Lyness said it was "not possible to ascertain" what role, if any, his heart condition played in his death, as his injuries were so severe they could have proved fatal to a healthy person.

The injuries caused heavy bleeding into the surrounding tissue and in his opinion, "there is little doubt" it was this massive blood loss that was responsible for his death.

Under cross-examination, Dr Lyness accepted that given Mr Holland's heart condition, a loss of blood would have reduced his blood pressure, and the body's ability to pump blood through his narrowed arteries to his heart.

The defence suggested that had he been given liquids and it would have increased his blood pressure and "may well have avoided a heart attack".

However, while he agreed Mr Holland would have have a "less chance of suffering a heart attack", under re-examnation by the prosecution, Dr Lyness said that it was the blood loss that was the resulting cause of death.

Mr Holland, he said, had suffered "a violent assault, a mulitude of injuries", and while on their own they may not have been life threatening, the loss of blood that resulted from them caused a loss in blood pressure and that was why he died.

The trial continues.