Murder dad 'died fairly rapidly'

Jim McFadden was beaten to death outside his Shantallow home

A Londonderry man beaten to death after an altercation at a wedding died "fairly rapidly" after he was attacked, the trial into his murder has heard.

Jim McFadden, 42, was killed outside his home in Shantallow in May 2007.

James Meehan, 39, his wife Brenda, 40, and her son, Sean Devenney, 21, all from Dundrean Park, all deny murder.

Marie Cassidy, the state pathologist in the Republic of Ireland, told the court Mr McFadden had lacerations of the left atrium, artery and ventricle.

She said while he had sustained injuries in an assault she would not describe the assault as "ruthless".

Prof Cassidy said that if it was the case Mr McFadden had fallen forward and the defendant James Meehan had fallen onto Mr McFadden's back it was possible the crushing action could have caused fractures which in turn could have damaged Mr McFadden's heart.

She said she found "no evidence" to indicate some of Mr McFadden's injuries were caused by stamping, and said the fatal injury had already been inflicted before CPR was applied.

She added that Mr McFadden's injuries were more common in road traffic accidents or in falls from a height.

The trial continues.