50-year-old man acquitted by reason of insanity for harassment

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

A 50-year-old man was acquitted by reason of insanity on all harassment counts at Dublin Circuit Court. The jury returned its verdict after about 10 minutes of deliberations.

He had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to harassment of six people, including five members of his extended family. The charges concerned harassment between 2012 and 2014. The proceedings were reported on 1 July 2015.

Fergal Foley BL, prosecuting, told Judge Sarah Berkeley there was no inpatient option available at the Central Mental Hospital, which had one fifth of the capacity required for inpatients. He said continuing outpatient treatment was the best option.

Mr Foley said the man had made every effort to cooperate and take his medicine. He said the underlying condition was now under control and the man posed no risk to himself or the victims. Feargal Kavanagh SC, defending, agreed outpatient treatment was sensible given the lack of capacity for inpatient assessment.

Consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Conor O’ Neill said the man had an underlying delusional disorder but there was no immediate likelihood of him harming himself or others. He said the man should not be committed to the hospital if he could manage his treatment in the community.