The Supreme Court has ruled unanimously that a Co Galway teacher had no substantial grounds for contending that a psychiatric hospital had acted in bad faith or without reasonable care in relation to his admission there.
In a reserved judgment yesterday, Ms Justice McGuinness dismissed Mr Louis Blehein's appeal against the High Court's refusal to grant him leave to bring proceedings against St John of God's Hospital, Stillorgan, Dublin, challenging his admission there on three occasions.
Mr Blehein (61) from Portumna had initially contended the hospital was not properly approved for the reception of temporary patients. He was granted leave by the High Court to challenge, on that ground alone, his admission.
However, during the Supreme Court hearing, he accepted the hospital was properly approved and did not pursue that argument.
Mr Blehein was involuntarily admitted to the hospital in 1984, 1987 and 1991. He claimed he was held against his will and there was a "conspiracy" involving certifying doctors, gardaí and, through a psychiatric nurse, the hospital, to secure his admission.