Courts / Waterford / Report

Mentally ill man who put fellow psychiatric patient in chokehold to be immediately released into care of UK parents

Date
2026-07-31

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Waterford

Summary

James Greengrass, a 25-year-old British man with a significant mental illness, has been ordered to be released from Cork Prison into the care of his parents in the UK to serve the suspended portion of his sentence. Greengrass was found guilty of attempting to cause serious harm to a fellow psychiatric patient by putting him in a chokehold until he turned blue. The court heard that Greengrass believed the victim was a 'shapeshifting demon' who would kill him and his family. His defense argued that his mental illness and the support of his family made it more appropriate for him to be in the UK rather than in Ireland. The judge noted that Greengrass had been institutionalized for three-and-a-half years and that his mental health required ongoing support. The suspended sentence of five years and six months will be served in the UK, with strict conditions including medication compliance and regular contact with gardai.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Mentally ill man who put fellow psychiatric patient in chokehold to be immediately released into care of UK parents. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

February 3, 2023 Hearing Or Sentence
April 2022 Incident
January 2023 Incident
February 2023 Incident
January 2026 Incident
2026-07-31 Publication

Case subjects

Unnamed accused

Defendant

Outcome: Ms Justice O'Connor imposed a sentence of five years and six months but suspended the final 14 months for a period of 18 months, backdating the sentence to when he went into custody on February 3, 2023. Both of his parents also gave an undertaking that their son was to be released into their care and if he failed to abide by any conditions imposed on his suspended sentence, they would notify authorities in Waterford Garda Station.; Ms Justice O'Connor said the matter was first adjourned at a sentence hearing in March and that there had been a number of adjournments in the intervening period due to "extensive psychiatric reports" being prepared in circumstances where the original charge was of attempted murder. "There was much emphasis on the question of insanity and diminished responsibility in the reports".