James Redmond found not guilty of murder and attempted murder by reason of insanity

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

A jury at the Central Criminal Court found James Redmond not guilty by reason of insanity of murder and attempted murder on 28 July 2016. The proceedings were reported on 28 July 2016.

Redmond, 60, lived at Killinarden Estate, Tallaght, Dublin 24. He faced charges of murdering Mary Dargan and attempting to murder her daughter, Karina Dargan, at their home in that estate on 15 March 2014. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to both charges.

The jury comprised seven men and five women. Its verdicts on both charges were reached by a majority after deliberations lasting four hours and five minutes.

Two consultant forensic psychiatrists testified that Redmond experienced severe depression accompanied by psychotic symptoms. They said his condition would have left him unable to stop himself from acting, and both considered that he satisfied the requirements for a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.

Justice Robert Eagar ordered Redmond to be committed to the Central Mental Hospital on 28 July 2016. He directed that Redmond return before the court the following day and that a psychiatric assessment be prepared.