Man had 'actively hissing' chest wound after alleged stabbing by his brother, court hears

A CONSULTANT IN emergency medicine has said that he thought a man who was allegedly stabbed by his brother would die as he had a wound to his chest which was “actively hissing.”

William Brennan (32) of Longbridge, Ballyhalwick, Dunmanway, Co Cork, denies assault causing serious harm to his brothers John and Jerry Brennan Jnr amid a family dispute about property.

He has also pleaded not guilty of producing a knife in the same alleged incident at a property in Ballyhalwick, Dunmanway, Co Cork on 17 August 2024.

John and Jerry Brennan Jnr were taken to Dunmanway Community Hospital on the evening of 17 August 2024 by a “Good Samaritan” who stopped on the road and offered assistance.

Dr Jason van der Velde told a trial at Cork Circuit Criminal Court that he thought the pleural cavity surrounding the lungs of John Brennan had been breached. He stated that they had to stop him from having a “catastrophic haemorrhage.”

The medic said the scene was “chaotic.” The injured men were stripped naked so that their injuries could be properly assessed.

Van der Velde said that a decision was made to transfer John to Cork University Hospital (CUH) for treatment.

“Time was critical. I genuinely believed he (John) would die from internal injuries.)

The medic said that John was “in extreme pain” and was given “an extremely strong inhaled analgesic.”

Van der Velde also told the jury of the injuries sustained by Jerry Jnr.

He said that he put a medical tourniquet on the left upper arm of Jerry Jnr as he had an active bleed. This replaced a makeshift tourniquet which Jerry Jnr had on arrival at the facility. Jerry Jnr was taken to CUH by road for further treatment.

The doctor also spoke of attending at the scene of the alleged stabbing incident in Ballyhalwick later that evening.

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He said that the accused man William Brennan was “extremely calm.”

“He was monosyllabic. He had absolutely no emotion whatsoever. He never made eye contact or actively avoided it.
He had defensive wounds to his left forearm and to his right arm consistent with blunt force trauma by a heavy object.”

Van der Velde described Jerry Brennan Snr as a “frail” man who was “very shook” but not otherwise injured.
Meanwhile, the jurors heard that William Brennan told Gardai that he produced a knife to defend himself after his brothers attacked him with an object. He said that the object was “possibly an iron bar.”
Garda Joe Maher said in evidence at Cork Circuit Criminal Court that he attended at the scene of the alleged incident in Ballyhalwick on the evening of 17 August 2024.

He said that when he arrived at the property Jerry Brennan Snr and his son William Brennan were sitting in a parked car. Garda Maher asked the men if they had any weapons. He directed them to dispose of them.

He told the jury that Jerry Brennan Snr threw a knife out of the car and on to the grass verge. He said that William Brennan told him that he had acted in self defence after he was attacked. William Brennan was arrested at the scene.

Garda Maher said that gardaí were also informed that two men had been taken to Dunmanway Community Hospital that evening with “serious stab wounds.”

Defence barrister Jane Hyland, SC, put it to Garda Maher that William Brennan had made a 999 call. She said that he also told gardaí that he had had been attacked and had used a knife in self defence.

The Garda said that he had “no prior knowledge of the family.” He said he was aware that on the morning of the alleged offences gardaí had received a report that an excavator owned by William Brennan was burned out.

Garda Jonathan O’Donovan said that he spoke to William Brennan on the night of the alleged incident.

William said when he arrived at the yard of the property earlier that evening his brother Jerry Jnr called him “pathetic” and a “virgin boy.” He stated that he was then hit with an object by his brother John who he claimed was wearing a balaclava.

Jane Hyland said that her client had indicated that a“litany of aggression had been perpetrated on him by his brothers.”

Meanwhile, in her outline of the case to the jury on Wednesday Prosecution barrister Imelda Kelly said that the alleged stabbing incident related to a “family dispute” in respect of a property at Ballyhalwick.

“The property had been in the ownership of Jeremiah Brennan Snr and it had been signed over to three brothers a number of years before. The yard was in common ownership between the brothers.

The case will continue next Tuesday before Judge Helen Boyle and the jury of eight men and four women.