Niall Stapleton on trial for murdering his mother

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

Niall Stapleton is on trial at the Central Criminal Court, charged with murdering his mother, Siobhan Stapleton. The trial continues before Mr Justice Garret Sheehan.

He has pleaded not guilty. His defence maintains that he is not guilty by reason of insanity.

The report said Siobhan Stapleton died at the family home in Co Kilkenny on 25 May 2012 after blunt-force trauma to the head. Niall Stapleton initially told gardaí that he saw a man leaving, but later said he must have snapped and attacked his mother; his defence case concerns insanity. The proceedings were reported on 14 December 2013.