Courts / Cavan / Report

Psychiatrist tells murder trial accused was unable to refrain from killing

Summary

At the Central Criminal Court, a defence psychiatrist has testified that a man charged with murdering an elderly patient at Cavan General Hospital was unable to refrain from killing due to the withdrawal of anti-psychotic medication. Ian Harman, aged fifty, from Carrigallen in County Cavan, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Michael Treanor at the psychiatric unit on 27 June 2011. Consultant psychiatrist Dr Bob Johnson told the court that Mr Harman's olanzapine medication was discontinued upon admission, causing akathisia, a distressing condition characterised by severe restlessness. Dr Johnson stated that Mr Harman's responsibility for the killing was not merely diminished but destroyed. A clinical pharmacologist also gave evidence for the defence, asserting that Mr Harman should not have been prescribed the medication in the first place. The prosecution challenged these assertions during cross-examination. The trial before Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan continues.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Psychiatrist tells murder trial accused was unable to refrain from killing. Charges or matters: murdering Michael Treanor (81) at the Psychiatric Unit of Cavan General Hospital, Lisdarn, Co Cavan on June 27, 2011. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• June 27, 2011 Hearing Or Sentence
• October 16, 2013 Incident
• June 20, 2011 Incident
• June 23 Incident
• June 24 Hearing Or Sentence
• June 26 Incident
• October 23, 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
• November 2010 Hearing Or Sentence
• February 2011 Hearing Or Sentence
• May 2011 Hearing Or Sentence
• May 30 Hearing Or Sentence
• June 15 Hearing Or Sentence
• June 25 Hearing Or Sentence
• June 27 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2014-07-16 Publication

Why: A psychiatrist has told the trial of a man charged with murdering an elderly man in a psychiatric unit that the accused was unable to refrain from killing the deceased because of medication withdrawal. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report