Trial hears gross negligence led to woman's death

The trial of a man accused of the manslaughter of a woman at a hotel in Co Cork has been told, that while he did not set out to harm her, the State would argue that his gross negligence led to her death.

Senior Counsel Brendan Grehan was addressing the jury on the opening day of the trial of 45-year-old Richard Davis, from Ballygarvan in Co Cork.

Mr Davis, a heating and plumbing contractor, has pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of Miriam Reidy, from Ballyhahill, in Co Limerick, who was found dead at the Trident Hotel in Kinsale in January 2011.

The court was told that Ms Reidy was in Kinsale with her sister Patricia and a group of around 30 friends attending a cousin's hen party.

Friends became concerned when they failed to check out. When their room was checked, Miriam was found dead and Patricia was found unconscious.

An inquest later found Ms Reidy, who was 35, had died of acute carbon monoxide poisoning.

Mr Grehan said it would be the State's case that the hotel boiler was left spewing out lethal quantities of carbon monoxide gas because of Mr Davis's alleged failure to correctly convert the boiler, leading to Ms Reidys death.

He said the jury would also hear evidence that in the direct aftermath of the incident, a carbon monoxide detector registered its highest level possible of 9999 and the boiler was immediately shut down.

Mr Grehan said the court would also hear that a doctor was called to several people in the hotel that night, including the deceased woman and her sister.

He diagnosed the winter vomiting bug and gave both women an injection.

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Trial hears gross negligence led to woman's death