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.<\/p>\n
Patricia McBrearty died after she was struck by a vehicle close to her home on August 30th, 2024.<\/p>\n
An inquest into the 81-year-old mother-of-three\u2019s death was opened and closed at Letterkenny Courthouse earlier this week.<\/p>\n
Dr McCauley opened the inquest and immediately asked Garda Inspector Sean McDaid if he had an application to make to the court.<\/p>\n
Inspector McDaid said he was requesting an adjournment of the inquest under Section 25 (2) of the Coroner\u2019s Act, 1962 stating that a criminal matter is now before the courts.<\/p>\n
Dr McCauley said that he had \u201cvery little discretion\u201d when a Garda Inspector asks him for an adjournment adding that any evidence heard in an inquest could compromise a criminal investigation.<\/p>\n
He added, however, that he was prepared to take some very limited evidence.<\/p>\n
The coroner said this would allow for the issuing of a coroner\u2019s cert in the interim so a death certificate can be issued to the family.<\/p>\n
If enough evidence was heard at the criminal investigation, the coroner said he then had the discretion not to proceed with a full investigation.<\/p>\n
The evidence of Garda Sean Rogers, who arrived on the scene of the accident, was read into the inquest.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Mr Brian McBrearty, a son of the deceased woman, gave evidence of formally identifying his mother, Patricia McBrearty, on August 30th, 2024.<\/p>\n
Having consulted with histopathologist Dr Gerry O\u2019Dowd of Letterkenny University Hospital, coroner Dr McCauley said it was his view that Mrs McBrearty died as a result of multiple injuries.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the medical cause of death and I would be comfortable that was the cause of death,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Coroner to await outcome of criminal investigation into St Johnston woman\u2019s tragic death was last modified: December 13th, 2025 by Staff Writer<\/p>\n
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