Jury finds Henry McGowan not guilty of father’s 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 has found Henry McGowan not guilty of murdering his father, John McGowan, by reason of insanity. The 31-year-old was found to have killed his father during a psychotic episode at Ballyfin Demesne in Laois on 12 November 2024.

Psychiatrists for the prosecution and defence agreed that McGowan was suffering from schizoaffective disorder and met the criteria for the verdict: he did not know the nature of his actions, did not know they were wrong and could not stop himself. Judge Paul McDermott said McGowan was under active treatment at the Central Mental Hospital and would continue to be treated there.

The case is due back in court on 20 February for evidence about McGowan’s proposed treatment programme.