The state pathologist for Northern Ireland has told a jury that schoolteacher Natalie McNally suffered a “prolonged assault” in which compression of the neck, stab wounds to the neck and blunt force trauma to the head all contributed to her death, and that it was likely the 15-week foetus she was carrying also died as a result of the attack.
Following a break for lunch, Dr James Lyness was called to give evidence.
Dr Lyness confirmed he carried out a post mortem on Ms McNally’s remains at the Northern Ireland Forensic Mortuary on December 21, 2022 and conducted a second examination the following day.
He told the jury of six men and six women that he believed Ms McNally was subjected to a “prolonged assault” and that it was “likely” the 15-week male foetus she was carrying “died as a result of the assault.”
When asked by Mr MacCreanor what he considered to be the cause of Ms McNally’s death, Dr Lyness replied: “The cause of death in this case was given as compression of neck, stab wounds of neck and blunt force trauma of head.”
The pathologist then gave a detailed forensic descriptions of the multiple injuries Ms McNally sustained which included three stab wounds to her neck as well as compression injuries to her neck “suggestive of having been caused by fingertips.”
He also outlined five lacerations to her head and said this blunt force trauma was likely to have been caused by a weapon.
Dr Lyness noted other areas of multiple bruising to her scalp and face caused as a “result of blunt blows such as punches.”
In addition, the medical witness spoke of other injuries to her wrists and forearm which he said “could have been caused by blunt blows including if she had raised her arms to protect herself.”
He added: “Additional bruises on the backs of the hand may have been caused if she had punched a hard surface but could also have been the result of blunt blows in an attempt to protect her body.”
When asked to summarise his findings, Dr Lyness said it was a “complex case” and that it was “difficult to be certain of the exact fatal sequence from the autopsy findings.
“Both the neck compression and the stab wounds to the neck could have caused her death on their own.”
Also citing the seriousness of the head wounds, Dr Lyness told the court “it would seem reasonable to conclude that the compression of the neck, the stab wounds to the neck and the blunt force trauma to the head all contributed to the fatal outcome.”
At hearing
