Psychiatric report for Hellfire club attacker ‘raises serious issues’- Judge

A man who attempted to murder a teenager at a popular Dublin hiking spot will be brought before the Central Criminal Court after a judge said a psychiatric report “raises serious issues” for his impending release on other charges.

Mr Justice Michael White asked lawyers on behalf of the State to take instructions on whether Michael Corbett (30) should stay in prison to serve out the portion of his sentence that was initially suspended. The court has previously heard that Corbett, who attempted to murder the teenager in 2016, has attacked other prisoners in Mountjoy Prison, including attacking one with a hot kettle.

In July 2018, Corbett was released from a nine-year prison sentence for the attempted murder, having served less than three years, on condition that he live with his mother. The final six years of his sentence were suspended because he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia at the time of the attack.

Corbett, a father of one with a previous address in Raheny, was living rough when he assaulted his 17-year-old victim on June 27th, 2016 at the Hellfire Club on Dublin’s Montpelier Hill. The victim suffered a four-inch stab wound to the chest and Corbett struck another teenager on the head with a piece of timber. Corbett pleaded guilty to attempted murder.

Corbett was an in-patient at the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) when he attacked nurse Declan Curtin on October 6th, 2016. Staff were escorting him to an exercise period when he asked to use the toilet. When Mr Curtin went in after him Corbett used a sock to try to strangle the nurse.

The victim, an experienced nurse, managed to free himself before he was seriously harmed but the court heard he suffers from flashbacks and an increased level of anxiety in his work. Corbett later pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting Mr Curtin, causing him harm.

Judge Melanie Greally imposed a five-year sentence and suspended the final two-and-a-half years for 15 years on strict conditions. These conditions include that he remain under the supervision of the Probation Service for the entire 15-year period and that he live at an address agreed with the gardaí and Probation Service.

At a hearing last month Mr Foley told Mr Justice White that Corbett, who is diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, has been engaging in acts of violence in Mountjoy prison and asked for the court to order an updated psychiatric report. Corbett remains in custody in relation to the Dublin Circuit Court matter and is due for release in August, said Mr Foley.

Mr Justice White ton Friday said the matter is “urgent because of his impending release” and counsel for the State Fergal Foley BL said that Corbett does not seem to be capable of complying with the terms of his proposed release.

Mr Justice White said on Friday that he has received the psychiatric report and it “raises some serious issues”. He asked Mr Foley to take instructions from the DPP as to whether Corbett should have the remainder of his sentence imposed.

Last July, Mr Justice White said he would remove the requirement for Corbett to live with his mother on condition that he live at accommodation approved by probation services. Corbett agreed to continue taking his medication when he moved to his new home or he risked having a psychotic episode.

Mr Corbett will appear again before the court on July 29th.