Courts / Dublin / Report

No progress in Mary Ward murder case three months after judge said delay 'can't go on'

Summary

In the Mary Ward murder case, the Central Criminal Court has yet to make progress on a psychiatric assessment of Ahmed Abdirahman, a 31‑year‑old Somali national accused of killing his former partner, Mary Ward, on 25 September 2024 in Belfast. Three months after Judge Paul McDermott warned that the delay could not continue, the court still has no diagnosis of Abdirahman's fitness to plead. The judge required a "diagnostic clarification" from the Central Mental Hospital, which must admit the accused and allow an external psychiatrist to evaluate him. Defence counsel Oisin Clarke noted issues with the case and the need for the court to determine the accused's mental fitness. In July, the defence reported that Abdirahman was still in Cloverhill Prison and had not engaged with a psychiatrist.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: No progress in Mary Ward murder case three months after judge said delay 'can't go on'. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

• September 25, 2024 Hearing Or Sentence
• October 29 Adjournment
• 2025-10-15 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Charge Or Pretrial Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report