Autistic man tried to kill sister because she was carrying "Dublin baby", jury hears

A 33-year-old autistic man from County Kilkenny has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court charged with attempting to murder his pregnant sister in Dublin in April 2016. The accused has pleaded not guilty, though a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity is available to the jury. Prosecution evidence indicates the man stabbed his sister multiple times in the back at her home in Knocklyon after arriving unannounced. He was carrying a hammer, duct tape, and kitchen knives. Gardaí heard he told officers he wanted to kill her because she was carrying "a Dublin baby" and was planning a murder-suicide. The victim, who was undergoing chemotherapy whilst 26 weeks pregnant at the time, managed to escape and raise the alarm. She later confirmed her child was born healthy. The trial heard the accused had harboured a long-standing pathological dislike of Dublin and Dublin people. The court will hear evidence from psychiatric experts for both the prosecution and defence before the jury of six men and six women.