Moire Bergin committed to hospital after insanity verdict

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

Moire Bergin was committed to the Central Mental Hospital for continued treatment by Mr Justice Paul McDermott at the Central Criminal Court on 16 July 2024. The proceedings were reported on 16 July 2024.

A jury had found Bergin not guilty by reason of insanity of murdering her 76-year-old mother, Mary Bergin. Bergin had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

The charge concerned the fatal stabbing of Mary Bergin at her home on First Avenue, Seville Place, Dublin, on 13 April 2022. Defence counsel Fiona Murphy SC told the trial that Bergin accepted she had committed the physical act.

On 3 July 2024, the jury returned its unanimous verdict after accepting evidence from two consultant forensic psychiatrists that Bergin had bipolar affective disorder at the time and met the criteria for the special verdict. That day, the judge committed her to the Central Mental Hospital and directed a psychiatric assessment.

Defence psychiatrist Dr Stephen Monks said Bergin believed her mother had been replaced by the devil and thought she was extinguishing evil. Under cross-examination, he agreed with prosecution psychiatrist Dr Paul O’Connell’s diagnosis and said Bergin continued to have a chronic mental disorder requiring treatment and care.

At the later hearing, prosecutor James Dwyer SC said a report by consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Ronan Mullaney found that Bergin continued to suffer from a mental disorder and needed ongoing treatment. The judge made an order for her to remain in the hospital.