Garda murder accused takes to stand in own trial

A 46-year-old motorbike mechanic from Foxford, County Mayo, has testified at the Central Criminal Court that he was living in a shed without running water and had discontinued psychiatric medication in the weeks preceding the fatal shooting of Detective Garda Colm Horkan in June 2020. Stephen Silver, who has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility, told the court he experienced escalating mental distress characterised by delusional thinking, including beliefs that an acquaintance was an MI6 agent and that the SAS had planted explosives. He stated he had considered voluntary psychiatric admission the day before the incident but felt "hyper" and "elated" on the morning in question. Silver, diagnosed with schizo-affective disorder and bipolar disorder, disclosed he had abandoned prescribed medication believing it impaired his functioning, though he has resumed treatment since his arrest and reports feeling stable. His testimony before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and jury continues.