A Kilkenny man who stabbed shop worker Mairead Moran to death at her workplace has been found not guilty of her murder by reason of insanity.
The trial heard Shane Smyth (29), believed Mairead Moran had stolen a “vial of his blood” and had “installed hidden cameras” and put “black widow spiders” in his house.
Mr Smyth, with an address at McGuinness House, Evans Lane, Kilkenny, was charged with murdering Mairead Moran (26) on May 8th, 2014, at the Market Cross Shopping Centre in Kilkenny City.
Last week at the Central Criminal Court, Mr Smyth pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Moran by reason of insanity.
Facts not disputed
The jury had been told the facts of the case were not disputed and last week forensic psychiatrist Dr Brenda Wright gave evidence that Mr Smyth was suffering from severe paranoid schizophrenia at the time.
A second forensic psychiatrist, Dr Paul O’Connell, from the Central Mental Hospital, also gave evidence that the accused was suffering from schizophrenia and was “not capable of forming a specific intent”.
On Monday, in her charge to the jury, Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan said there were three possible verdicts open to them in this case, but the verdict of “not guilty by reason of insanity” would be in accordance with the lengthy evidence they had heard.
“The law requires that you must make a finding of fact in this case and a verdict other than the verdict of not guilty of murder by reason of insanity means you would be rejecting the evidence of the two psychiatrists,” said the judge.
‘Points one way’
Finishing her charge, Ms Justice Heneghan said the “evidence in this case all points one way”.
The jury of three men and nine women spent 55 minutes deliberating on Monday before bringing in a unanimous verdict of not guilty of murder by reason of insanity.
After they had delivered their verdict, the judge thanked the 12 jurors for their time as they had been longer in court “than anticipated”, and excused them from jury service for the rest of their lives.
Ms Justice Heneghan addressed the jury, saying: “You have performed a critical task. It has been a difficult trial and some of the elements were extremely upsetting and disturbing.
“It is a difficult duty you have carried out and I thank you for the attention you have given this trial.”
Central Mental Hospital
At the request of prosecution counsel John O’Kelly SC, Ms Justice Heneghan ordered that Mr Smyth be detained in the Central Mental Hospital and put in the matter for mention for February 15th.
Finally, the judge said that at the commencement of the case she asked for cooperation of everyone, which she said she received at all times.
“There are two families involved and I can only extend my sympathy and those of the registrar to Mairead Moran’s family.
“It has also been a difficult trial for members of the Smyth family, and I thank that family for having behaved as to how I asked them to in court,” she said.