A man has been remanded in custody after appearing before Sligo District Court charged with the murder of 23-year-old Natalie McGuinness .
Ms McGuinness, a native of Easkey Co Sligo died on Wednesday following an incident at an apartment on Mail Coach Road, Sligo.
Judge Kevin Kilraine ordered that Oisin Conroy (33) with an address at The Mews, Mail Coach Road Sligo be placed on suicide watch after hearing that he was a threat to himself.
During the brief court hearing Sergeant Patrick Harney told the court that he arrested the defendant at 12.05am today at Sligo Garda station for the offence of murder. He said that at 12.52am he charged Mr Conroy with murder. The accused made no reply to the charge.
Inspector Paul Kilcoyne asked for a remand in custody to Castlerea prison.
Mr Keith O’Grady BL for the accused asked that his client receive all the appropriate medical attention while in custody. He said his instructions were that the defendant had been seen already while in custody. “This is a case where the defendant will require psychiatric evaluation and it should be done as a matter of urgency”.
Counsel said he wanted his client to get the assistance of staff at the Central Mental Hospital and he added that this was also the request of the defendant’s family .
Mr O’Grady said his solicitor Gerard McGovern was strongly of the view that psychiatric attention was required.
Judge Kilraine asked whether the defendant t was a suicide risk . He was told by Inspector Kilcoyne that the defendant’s wounds were self-inflicted “and he is a threat to himself”. The inspector told the judge that Mr Conroy had inflicted wounds on himself with a weapon.
The Judge remanded the accused in custody to Sligo District Court next Thursday, November 5th . He ordered that Mr Conroy receive a psychiatric evaluation while in custody .
Mr Conroy ’s head was covered with a white bandage during the hearing. After an application from his legal team free legal aid was granted.
He was remanded to Castlerea prison.
