Courts / Wicklow / Report

Wicklow man beat mother to death with mug

Date
2016-05-25

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Bray

County
Wicklow

Summary

In a 2016 case, Bijan Afshar, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to the murder of his mother, Lynn Cassidy, 50, by reason of insanity. The trial, held at the Central Criminal Court, was expected to last three days. Afshar was charged with killing his mother on 26 or 27 June 2014 at her home in Deepdales, Bray. Prosecutor Paul Burns SC informed the jury that two psychiatrists would testify about Afshar's mental condition, specifically his Asperger's Syndrome diagnosis in 2008, and whether it made him unable to refrain from the act. Afshar, the eldest of four sons, had a strained relationship with his mother and had been living with his father and one brother after his parents split. He claimed he was worried about losing the family house, which had been sold, and that his mother's responses were "robotic." Afshar described grabbing his mother by the neck, hitting her with a white mug, and then leaving the scene.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Wicklow man beat mother to death with mug. Charges or matters: the murder of his mother Lynn Cassidy (50), on June 26 or 27, 2014 at her home in Deepdales, Bray, Co Wicklow. Procedural stage: trial

When:

June 26 Hearing Or Sentence
June 27 Incident
2016-05-25 Publication

Why: He said it would be up to the jury to decide whether they agree that Mr Afshar was "unable to refrain from committing the act, the killing in question" because of his mental condition. CNI source report