Criminal investigation awaited as inquest into death of St Johnston woman adjourned

Donegal coroner Dr Denis McCauley has said he will await the outcome of a criminal investigation into the death of a St Johnston woman before deciding what course her inquest will take.

Patricia McBrearty died after she was struck by a vehicle close to her home on August 30th, 2024.

An inquest into the 81-year-old mother-of-three's death was opened and adjourned at Letterkenny Courthouse on Friday.

Dr McCauley opened the inquest and immediately asked Garda Inspector Sean McDaid if he had an application to make to the court.

Inspector McDaid said he was requesting an adjournment of the inquest under Section 25 (2) of the Coroner's Act, 1962 stating that a criminal matter is now before the courts.

Dr McCauley said that he had "very little discretion" when a Garda Inspector asked him for an adjournment adding that any evidence heard at an inquest could compromise a criminal investigation.

He added, however, that he was prepared to take some very limited evidence.

The coroner said this would allow for the issuing of a coroner’s cert in the interim so a death certificate can be issued to the family.

If enough evidence was heard at the criminal investigation, the coroner said he then had the discretion not to proceed with a full investigation.

The evidence of Garda Sean Rogers, who arrived on the scene of the accident, was read into the inquest.

He told how he was on duty on the day when he received a call to attend an incident at Church Street in St Johnston and found a deceased female whom he learned was Patricia McBrearty.

Mr Brian McBrearty, a son of the deceased woman, gave evidence of formally identifying his mother, Patricia McBrearty, on August 30, 2024.

Having consulted with histopathologist Dr Gerry O'Dowd of Letterkenny University Hospital, coroner Dr McCauley said it was his view that Mrs McBrearty died as a result of multiple injuries.

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"That's the medical cause of death and I would be comfortable that was the cause of death," he said.

He added that despite the constraints of the inquest, he would still like to offer his deep sympathy to the McBrearty family as did Inspector Sean McDaid.