Deirdre Morley found not guilty of three murders

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Deirdre Morley was found not guilty by reason of insanity at the Central Criminal Court on 20 May 2021 in relation to the murders of her three children. Mr Justice Paul Coffey told jurors the evidence was all one way, and the prosecution and defence agreed that the insanity defence applied to all three counts.

Morley pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The proceedings were reported on 20 May 2021. The children, Conor, Darragh and Carla McGinley, were killed at their home on 24 January 2020.

The court heard that Morley was suffering from a severe psychotic depressive illness. Dr Brenda Wright said her thinking was dominated by hopelessness, helplessness and a sense that life was unbearable; Dr Mary Davoren said Morley knew what she was doing but did not appreciate that it was wrong. Morley will return to the Central Mental Hospital, with further formal orders due to be made later.