O'Donnell likely to be in court for closing of trial

MR BRENDAN O'DONNELL, who is accused of three murders, is expected to return to the Central Criminal Court today for what could…

MR BRENDAN O'DONNELL, who is accused of three murders, is expected to return to the Central Criminal Court today for what could be the final day of his trial.

Mr O'Donnell tried to hang himself in his room at the Central Mental Hospital on the night of March 11th last and Mr Justice Lavan, with the agreement of the prosecution and defence, directed the trial could proceed in his absence.

The defendant turned up in court on March 12th with a red mark along his neck, the result of what Mr Patrick MacEntee SC, defending, said was "a serious suicide attempt".

The court was told Mr O'Donnell had tried to hang himself after he said he saw one of the murder victims, Imelda Riney, appear in his room at the hospital in tears. Mr O'Donnell told a psychiatrist he felt very low and depressed and when he saw Ms Riney he wanted to join her. Mr O'Donnell was permitted to leave the hearing and return to the hospital under escort after the judge decided the trial could proceed without him.

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Consultant psychiatrist Dr Brian McCaffrey told the court Mr O'Donnell was finding the trial very stressful and had said it was as if he was being tortured when he listened to evidence about his mother.

Last Friday, Mr MacEntee told the court he hoped Mr O'Donnell would be back for the close of his trial today.

A verdict in the trial, now the longest running criminal jury trial in the State's history, is possible later today.

Mr MacEntee is expected to conclude his closing speech to the jury this morning - the 52nd day of the hearing. Then Mr Justice Lavan will deliver his charge to the jury before sending it out to consider its verdict.

On Friday, the judge told the 12 jurors, six men and six women, to bring overnight bags to court today in the event of no verdict being reached this evening. The jury would in those circumstances be sent to a hotel overnight and resume its deliberations tomorrow.

Mr O'Donnell has denied 12 charges relating to events in the west of Ireland in 1994. He has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Imelda Riney (29), and her son Liam (3), on a date unknown between April 29th and May 8th 1994. He has also denied the murder of Father Joseph Walsh (37), the former curate of Eyrecourt, Co Galway, between May 3rd and 8th 1994.

During the hearing, which opened on January 15th, 82 witnesses gave evidence, including 13 doctors, psychiatrists and psychologists.