Gunshot murder victim Aloysius Hackett found in a pool of blood, court hears

A PARAMEDIC told the jury at the Sean Hackett murder trial of the night he arrived at the Hackett family home to find a male in his 60s bleeding heavily to the head.

Stephen McClintock took the witness stand at Dungannon Crown Court today to say that on January 4, 2013 he and a colleague were redirected from a call out to Fivemiletown and told to go to the Aghindarrah Road in Augher.

Mr McClintock, who has 14 years experience as a paramedic, said: “I could see a person lying face up on the ground.

“There were two other people standing beside him.”

He told the jury that he noticed a pool of blood “two metres long” at the back of Aloysius Hackett’s head..

“I brought the defibrillator and the resuscitator out to the deceased and checked for a pulse but I couldn’t find one.”

He said he then opened up Mr Hackett’s upper clothing to expose his chest and attach the resuscitator “but there was no sign of life”.

Asked by Mr Murphy QC how long he believed the victim was dead, Mr McClintock replied: “He was not dead for long.

“The blood had not coagulated. It was flowing freely from an injury to the back of his head.”

Mr McClintock said he spoke to a number people at the scene, including a parish priest and a man called ‘Cathal’.

He added: “I did speak to a Mr Sean Hackett briefly. He was very distressed and was crying.

“I then got a blanket and put it over the deceased.”

The trial continues