A 32-year-old man has gone on trial charged with murdering his mother at their Co Kilkenny home last year.
Niall Stapleton of Glebe Lodge, Kilfane, Thomastown has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Siobhan Stapleton (51) at that address on May 25th, 2012. She died of blunt force trauma to the head, after being beaten with the handle of a garden fork. The Central Criminal Court heard that the accused, who has schizophrenia, initially told gardaí he saw a man leaving the scene, but later admitted that he must have snapped and attacked his mother causing her death.
His defence maintains he is not guilty by reason of insanity.
His 22-year-old sister, Sinead Stapleton, testified yesterday that she had just finished college for the year and was living at home with her brother and parents at the time. Three other sisters lived elsewhere.
She confirmed that her brother had been on medication for schizophrenia for a number of years. However she did not believe he was taking it at the time as he was behaving erratically.
Det Insp Michael Hennebry said that the accused had been diagnosed with drug-induced psychosis in 2006 and paranoid schizophrenia in 2008. He said that he was not always compliant with taking his medication.
The inspector said he was arrested for his mother’s murder after her funeral.“Maybe I’m a danger to other people,” he said. “I’m afraid of losing my family.” He said he couldn’t believe he would do that to his own mother, whom he loved.
“Something snapped,” he said. “Demons took over.”
The trial continues before Mr Justice Garret Sheehan.