Courts / Wicklow / Report
Autistic man found not guilty of murdering mother by reason of insanity
Summary
An autistic 23‑year‑old, Bijan Afshar, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of his 50‑year‑old mother, Lynn Cassidy, who died on 26 or 27 June 2014 at their home in Deepdales, Bray, Co Wicklow. Afshar beat his mother to death after she told him she could not prevent the sale of the house he shared with his father. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and the jury of six men and six women delivered a unanimous verdict after less than an hour of deliberations at the Central Criminal Court. Afshar was committed to the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum. Justice Isobel Kennedy ordered that he be examined by an approved medical officer who will report to the court on his condition and ongoing treatment on 8 June.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Autistic man found not guilty of murdering mother by reason of insanity. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- 27 June 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
- June 8 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2016-05-27 Publication
Why: She said he lost control because his condition meant that he could not cope with the stress of any change in his environment or routine. CNI source report
Case subjects
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
- Central Mental Hospital
- The house
Topics
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