Psychiatrist says Jineesh John had delusional disorder during alleged attack

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

A defence psychiatrist told the Central Criminal Court that Jineesh John had delusional disorder and depression and that his actions were driven by a delusional belief that a former colleague had harmed him. John has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, making a threat to kill or cause serious harm, false imprisonment, and producing a hammer in a manner likely unlawfully to intimidate her. The charges relate to an alleged incident on 21 May 2023. The defence is seeking a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.

Prosecuting counsel Brendan Grehan SC told the jury that the State and defence psychiatrists agreed on the core fact that John was suffering from a mental disorder at the time of the alleged offence. He said both psychiatrists would say it was a delusional disorder that qualified him for a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.

Defence psychiatrist Dr Stephen Monks said John remained 90 per cent convinced, when he assessed him in April and October 2024, that the woman had deliberately infected him with HIV, despite medical evidence to the contrary. Dr Monks said John met the three criteria he described under the Criminal Law Insanity Act 2006: he did not know the nature and quality of his act, did not know it was wrong, and could not refrain from committing it.

The proceedings were reported on 17 July 2025. The trial was due to continue the following day before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.