Courts / Dublin / Report

Man who was suffering from severe schizoaffective disorder when he killed girlfriend is found not guilty by reason of insanity

Date
2025-12-17

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

A Dublin man who was suffering from a severe relapse of schizoaffective disorder when he killed his girlfriend was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Austin Mangan (53) was found not guilty of the murder of Maud Coffey (41) after a psychiatric evaluation concluded that he was unable to refrain from committing the act. The court heard that Mangan had a long history of mental illness, including bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder, and had been treated with electroshock therapy. He had stopped taking his prescribed medication and had been drinking heavily before the incident. Mangan told psychiatrists that he believed the deceased was the devil and that he heard Lucifer laughing at him. The court accepted the defense's argument that Mangan was unable to control his actions due to his mental state. The jury spent over seven hours deliberating before delivering the verdict. The judge committed Mangan to the Central Mental Hospital for inpatient care and ordered a psychiatric assessment.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Man who was suffering from severe schizoaffective disorder when he killed girlfriend is found not guilty by reason of insanity. Procedural stage: trial

When:

January 13, 2023 Hearing Or Sentence
January 11, 2023 Hearing Or Sentence
June 2024 Incident
January 14, 2023 Incident
January 18 Other
January 2025 Other
2025-12-17 Publication

Why: However, the jurors rejected Dr Church's finding that although Mr Mangan was suffering from a mental disorder which diminished his responsibility for the act, he did not qualify for a not guilty by reason of insanity verdict because he was able to refrain from the killing. CNI source report

Case subjects

Austin Mangan

Defendant

Plea: Not guilty

Outcome: Mr Mangan was later remanded in custody to Cloverhill Prison, where he came under the care of psychiatrists before being transferred to the Central Mental Hospital some months later.