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Psychiatrist agrees there was "element of planning" in how Eric Locke got into hotel room

Summary

In the Central Criminal Court trial of Eric Locke, Dr Seán Ó Domhnaill, a psychiatrist, confirmed that Locke had used a fake Facebook profile to arrange a meeting with his ex‑girlfriend, Sonia Blount, at the Plaza Hotel in Tallaght. He agreed that Locke sent several messages to Blount asking her to leave a keycard for the room at reception, an action he said was intended to prevent her from seeing through the peephole. Dr Ó Domhnaill testified that this constituted an element of planning. He also diagnosed Locke with Pervasive Developmental Disorder, noting signs of ADHD, autism and Asperger's Syndrome, and argued that Locke's mental state gave him diminished responsibility for the killing. Locke, 35, is charged with Blount's murder, which occurred on 16 February 2014, and has pleaded not guilty. The prosecution's cross‑examination focused on the significance of the keycard messages and the planning they implied.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Psychiatrist agrees there was "element of planning" in how Eric Locke got into hotel room. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• February 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
• November 2015 Other
• 2017-05-16 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report