Man accused of murdering pensioner in psychiatric unit was "nonchalant and relaxed", trial told

At the Central Criminal Court, a psychiatric nurse testified that Ian Harman (50), from Carrickallen, Co Cavan, appeared calm and composed following an incident at Cavan General Hospital's psychiatric unit. Harman has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael Treanor on June 27, 2011. Nurse Ciaran Boyle told the court that when he encountered Harman in the smoking room after discovering the elderly patient deceased, Harman stated he had killed Treanor "because he was an easy target". Boyle described Harman's demeanour as "quite nonchalant and relaxed". A second nurse, Laura Owens, testified that Treanor, who suffered from Alzheimer's dementia, was found in his room with a pillow removed from his head, and that CPR proved unsuccessful. The defence has indicated Harman accepts responsibility for Treanor's death but contests his state of mind at the time. The trial before Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan continues.