Niall Stapleton committed after murder acquittal by insanity

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

Niall Stapleton was committed to the Central Mental Hospital after the Central Criminal Court jury found him not guilty of murdering his mother by reason of insanity. The proceedings were reported on 20 December 2013.

Stapleton had pleaded not guilty to murdering Siobhan Stapleton at their Kilfane address on May 25, 2012. The report said he was suffering from schizophrenia and believed his mother had been replaced by an impostor when he attacked her.

Forensic psychiatrists for both sides agreed that the special verdict was appropriate. Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan committed Stapleton to the hospital until a different order is made; the report said treatment could eventually lead to conditional discharge.