Man accused of killing son ‘didn’t follow nurse advice’

A NURSE who tried to help a man while his baby choked on a piece of tissue was unsure if he was following her instructions, a murder trial heard yesterday.

Áine Watts told the Central Criminal Court she did not advise John Tighe to carry out CPR as her priorities were to unblock the baby’s airways and get medical experts to the scene as quickly as possible.

She told Mícháel P O’Higgins SC, defending, she advised the 40-yearold to do chest compressions and ‘whack’ the baby’s back but she was not sure if these instructions were being followed.

She later said she felt the advice was not being adhered to and then that she was not sure if the the instructions were fully understood.

Mr Tighe of Lavallyroe, Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo, denies murdering his son Joshua Sussbier Tighe at his home on June 1, 2013.

The prosecution alleges Joshua died from having a wad of tissue put into his throat.

Mr Tighe has said from the outset the six-and-a-half month old grabbed the tissue and swallowed it while Mr Tighe was in the bathroom.

Ms Watts worked at the WestDoc medical service in 2013 when Mr Tighe phoned to say that his baby was choking on a piece of tissue. The witness took over the call when her colleague Liz Watson asked her to.

She agreed with Paul Murray SC, prosecuting, she told Mr Tighe to make a little fist and press at the bottom of the ribs into the sternum and up to make Joshua vomit. She also told him to put his fingers in the baby’s mouth and ‘grab’ the tissue but Mr Tighe told her he couldn’t and said the child was cold and not breathing.

The trial continues in front of Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.