Courts / Dublin / Report
Deirdre Morley committed to Central Mental Hospital
Summary
Paediatric nurse Deirdre Morley, aged 44, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murders of her three children—Conor (9), Darragh (7) and Carla (3)—in January 2023. A Central Criminal Court judge, Mr Justice Paul Coffey, ordered her commitment to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) in Dundrum for further inpatient care under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act. The order follows a jury verdict that accepted psychiatric evidence showing Morley was unable to appreciate the moral wrongness of her actions and could not refrain from them. The CMH will conduct a psychiatric assessment, and her condition will be reviewed every six months by the Mental Health Review Board. The case was adjourned to allow time for the psychiatric report, which was then considered by the court. The order effectively disposes of the case.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Deirdre Morley committed to Central Mental Hospital. Procedural stage: finding. Findings: Not guilty by reason of insanity
When:
- January 24 Incident
- May 20 Other
- May 31 Adjournment
- January 23 Other
- January 22 Other
- July 2019 Incident
- 2021-06-08 Publication
Why: Ms Morley told gardaí that she was feeling "overwhelmed" at the time, her thoughts had been "getting darker" that week and she wanted to save her children from the "pain and suffering" she felt lay before them because of her shortcomings as a parent. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Plea: Not guilty
Finding: Not guilty by reason of insanity
Outcome: Not guilty by reason of insanity; The case was adjourned on that date to allow time for lawyers to consider the psychiatric report.
Places mentioned
- Central Mental Hospital
- Our Lady's Hospital
- Tallaght
- Tallaght Hospital
- St Patrick's Hospital
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
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