Intensive Garda probe failed to establish exactly how Polish man died, inquest hears

An intensive Garda investigation into the death of a 33-year-old Polish man found lying deceased with head injuries in the garden of a house in Ratoath in 2014, followed by a review of the case in 2020, had failed to establish exactly how he had died, an inquest in Navan was told.

However, a detective Garda told the inquest conducted by Co Meath Coroner Nathaniel Lacy at Navan Courthouse that the most logical explanation was that the man had fallen backwards in a drunken state and had struck his head. The inquest was being held into the death of Slawomir Bartoszak who lived in a caravan at the side of the Cluskey residence at Lagore Road, Mooretown, Ratoath and who formerly lived at Sundayswell Road, Mullingar.

Detective Garda Shane Gavin told the inquest that on 10th December 2014 Gardai at Ashbourne were made aware that the body of a man had been found in the garden of the Cluskey residence. The scene was attended by Garda Duffy and Garda McKenna where they met a 22-year-old man Josh Turner who said he resided at the address. He said he discovered the body when he had got up that morning.

He showed the Gardai the body and identified him as Mr Bartoszak who also lived at the same address. Gardai noted that he was lying on his back at the gable end of the house. A crime scene was declared and a full forensic examination was carried out. Mr Turner told him that he, Mr Bartoszak and another man named Aodhan Woods (21) had been in the house the night before and had eaten and drank beer.

Mr Bartoszak was “highly intoxicated” and fell earlier in the night in the sittingroom where he cut his head and it started to bleed. Mr Bartoszak was put out of the house until the bleeding stopped before being back in a short time later. Mr Turner then retired to bed leaving Mr Bartoszak and Mr Woods alone in the sittingroom. Mr Turner said that he had got up the following morning and Mr Woods, who had been the only visitor in the house, had left.

“Mr Turner claimed that he looked out the window and saw Mr Bartoszak on the ground and that’s when he called the Gardai”, the detective Garda said.

He said that Gardai carried out an investigation and discovered that Mr Bartoszak had had previous interaction with the Gardai in Mullingar. He had been identified as Polish and had been living at Sundayswell Road, Mullingar.

He said the now retired State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy had carried out a post mortem and concluded that Mr Bartoszak had died of hypothermia and blunt force trauma to the head. She had concluded also that injuries to the back of the head were not uncommon in uncommon in falls. She had said there were no other significant injuries and no evidence of defensive injuries.

Following investigations in 2014 and 2015 and a full review of the case in 2020, Gardai had been unable to establish any foul play in the death. The Garda said that Mr Bartoszak had taken alcohol and a quantity of drugs before his death which led to him being in a highly intoxicated state.

“I believe that Mr Bartoszak had fallen earlier in the night in a drunken state and cut his head. The most logical theory is that as he was retiring to bed in a caravan close by the house he had fallen back in a drunken state leaving him with a fractured skull and in an incapacitated state”

He said that Gardai had established at the time that a brother of the deceased was living in Ireland but he had since died. Mr Bartoszak’s mother lives in Poland, had not visited Ireland as far as Gardai knew and could not be contacted about the inquest.

Consultant pathologist Dr Muna Sabah read Dr Cassidy’s post mortem findings into the record. A toxicology report found evidence of alcohol, cocaine and a sedative. The conclusion was that death had occurred due to trauma of the head and hypothermia. The coroner Nathaniel Lacy recorded a verdict of misadventure.