Gardaí investigating a murder in Cork now want to trace three individuals who were reported to have been in his company before his death.

John Ustic (51) died from head injuries sustained in an assault which is believed to have occurred some time before he was helped back to his rented home in Skibbereen, in west Cork, last Sunday night.

Mr Ustic was found unresponsive in the living room of the rented property at High Street in the town by his partner at 9am on Monday.

The three individuals were reported by neighbours to have been with Mr Ustic on Sunday evening. Two were described as men in their 20s or 30s. The third was a young woman.

The trio had apparently assured one local who expressed concern about Mr Ustic's condition that he would be fine and he was being looked after.

Gardaí have now launched a murder investigation after a post-mortem examination revealed an Englishman died as a result of injuries suffered in a brutal assault.

The results of the post-mortem examination conducted by State pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy on Mr Ustic will not be released by gardaí for operational reasons.

However, it is understood Mr Ustic sustained a number of blows to the face and head consistent with a vicious and prolonged assault. It is understood he had also sustained blows to his torso and groin area.

Mr Ustic, who had been living in Ireland for a decade, was discovered in the sitting room of the property he had rented several weeks ago. Furniture in the room had also been disturbed as if someone had stumbled against it or fallen over it.

Despite desperate efforts to assist him, he was pronounced dead before he could be transferred to hospital.

Detectives became aware of reports that Mr Ustic had been found in a distressed condition on High Street late on Sunday evening. Locals had gone to his aid and had apparently helped to clean him up before escorting him back to his rented terraced house.

Irish Independent