Courts / Offaly / Report
Driver committed to Central Mental Hospital after manslaughter verdict declared "perverse"
Summary
In a case heard at Tullamore Circuit Criminal Court, Polish national Dariusz Alchimionek, aged 44, was found guilty of manslaughter and assault causing harm after a vehicle he drove collided with the Gorman brothers' car. The incident occurred on 29 December 2015 near Ballycrystal, Offaly. Alchimionek had claimed he believed the Islamic State would invade Europe and trigger a world war. Both prosecution and defence psychiatrists, employed at the Central Mental Hospital, agreed he met the criteria for not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury, after 2 hours 50 minutes, returned a 11‑1 guilty verdict on both counts. He was sentenced to nine years, with three years suspended. The Court of Appeal later quashed the verdict, describing it as "perverse" and ordered Alchimionek's commitment to the Central Mental Hospital as an inpatient. The decision was based on a recent assessment by Dr Paul O'Connell, who confirmed Alchimionek's continued need for detention.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Driver committed to Central Mental Hospital after manslaughter verdict declared "perverse". Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Not guilty by reason of insanity
When:
- December 29, 2015 Incident
- October 2017 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2019-03-07 Publication
Why: President of the Court of Appeal Mr Justice George Birmingham said the quashing of a jury's verdict because it was perverse was "very exceptional" but the court felt "compelled to do so" in this case. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Finding: Not guilty by reason of insanity
Outcome: Not guilty by reason of insanity; Alchimionek was then sentenced to nine years imprisonment with the final three suspended by Judge Keenan Johnson in October 2017. Dr O'Connell told the court that in his opinion, Mr Alchimionek warranted continued detention as in inpatient at the CMH.
Places mentioned
- Central Mental Hospital
- Court of Appeal
- Co Offaly. Tullamore Circuit Criminal Court
- Tullamore
- Barrow Way
- Spa
- Spa Street
- Portarlington
- Tullamore
Topics
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