A 41-year-old Carraroe man who strangled his brother to death with a bungee cord before hiding his body in a pit by the Cliffs of Moher has been found not guilty of his murder by reason of insanity.
Declan O’Cualain, with an address at An Caoran Beag, An Cheathru Rua was charged with murdering Adrian Folan at Lislorkin North, Liscannor, Co Clare on July 4 2014.
On Monday at the Central Criminal Court Mr O’Cualain pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Folan by reason of insanity.
Prosecution Counsel, Mr Anthony Sammon SC, yesterday told the jury that the accused had become fixated by paedophilia and got it into his head that Adrian was afflicted with this issue.
The prosecution is satisfied this wasn’t true and Declan O Cualain was described as being in “an utterly delusional state of mind” at the time.
In court today two consultant forensic psychiatrists gave evidence that Mr Ó Cualain should not be held responsible for his actions and he met the requirements for ‘not guilty by reason of insanity’.
After less than half an hour of deliberations, a jury of nine men and three women returned a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.
The court heard a recommendation that Mr Ó Cualain be committed to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) and return to court in two weeks.
Ms Justice Heneghan then made an order for Declan Ó Cualain to go to the hospital and be brought back before the court on Thursday week, May 5th.
The judge also ordered the preparation of a psychiatric assessment report.
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