Courts / Sligo / Report

Parents of Natalie McGuinness tell court they will never recover from her loss

Date
2017-07-17

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Sligo

County
Sligo

Summary

The parents of Natalie McGuinness, a 23-year-old Sligo woman who was strangled to death by her boyfriend in 2015, told the Central Criminal Court they will never recover from her loss. Oisin Conroy (34), who was previously found not guilty of murdering Natalie McGuinness by reason of insanity, was committed to the Central Mental Hospital following the trial. During the trial, it was heard that Conroy believed he was in the Matrix and strangled Natalie McGuinness to save her. He also caused serious lacerations to his own head with a knife and told a doctor he had tried to 'skin himself alive'. Conroy was charged with murdering Natalie McGuinness at The Mews, Mail Coach Road in Sligo on October 28, 2015, and pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms McGuinness by reason of insanity. On July 7, after deliberating for 24 minutes, a jury returned a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. The court heard victim impact statements from Natalie's mother, Catherine McGuinness, and her sister, Jodie McGuinness, who described the profound emotional impact of Natalie's death on their family. Prosecution counsel Ms Tara Burns SC read the victim impact statement on behalf of the McGuinness family. The court also heard evidence from Dr Damien Mohan, a consultant forensic psychiatrist, who stated that Conroy suffers from chronic paranoid schizophrenia and requires ongoing treatment. Mr Justice Tony Hunt committed Conroy to the Central Mental Hospital for inpatient care, noting that he needed close supervision for the foreseeable future.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Parents of Natalie McGuinness tell court they will never recover from her loss. Charges or matters: murdering Natalie McGuinness at The Mews, Mail Coach Road in Sligo on October 28, 2015; murdering Ms McGuinness by reason of insanity. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Acquitted

When:

October 28, 2015 Incident
July 7 Hearing Or Sentence
October 2015 Other
June 2016 Other
July 12, 2017 Other
New Year's Day Other
New Year Other
2017-07-17 Publication

Why: During the trial the court heard that Oisin Conroy "believed he was in the Matrix" and strangled Natalie McGuinness to death in order to save her. Court evidence reported by CNI

Case subjects

Oisin Conroy

Defendant

Charges: murdering Natalie McGuinness at The Mews, Mail Coach Road in Sligo on October 28, 2015; murdering Ms McGuinness by reason of insanity (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty

Finding: Acquitted

Outcome: Acquitted; We have been given a life sentence.