Alan Cawley admitted killing brothers but denied murder

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

Alan Cawley admitted killing Thomas Blaine, 69, and John (Jack) Blaine, 76. He pleaded not guilty to murdering the brothers.

The deaths occurred at the brothers’ home on New Antrim Street in Castlebar on 10 July 2013. The proceedings at the Central Criminal Court were reported on 20 July 2017.

The trial had previously heard from a defence psychiatrist who said Cawley had three mental disorders at the time and that they diminished his responsibility for his actions. The psychiatrist had diagnosed two personality disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Giving evidence for the State, Dr Brenda Wright agreed with the two personality disorder diagnoses but disagreed that they were mental disorders under the Criminal Law Insanity Act 2006. She said the three diagnoses were clinical mental disorders, but not in the legal sense. She found no evidence of ADHD in Cawley as an adult and concluded that he did not have a mental disorder in law at the time of the alleged offences.

Dr Wright said Cawley’s voluntary intoxication led him to act impulsively and violently. Under cross-examination by defence counsel Caroline Biggs SC, she agreed that he had significant difficulties with anger, rage and tantrums before he drank alcohol. Closing speeches were still to be heard.