Beating by West Belfast brothers 'killed their uncle'

The brothers are standing trial at Belfast Crown Court

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.

Multiple blows

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.