The person accused of murdering Det Garda Colm Horkan has instructed his trial that he’s identified with two psychological issues, had stopped taking his medicine and was residing in a shed with no working water within the weeks earlier than the capturing that resulted within the detective’s loss of life.
Stephen Silver took the stand on Wednesday following the shut of the prosecution case. He instructed his counsel, Róisín Lacey SC, that he had thought of signing himself in for respite the day earlier than the capturing however on the day of the capturing was feeling “hyper” and “elated” and “it had gone too far”. He mentioned he began “considering unusual issues”, equivalent to that an Australian lady he had been seeing was an MI6 agent and that the SAS had planted a bomb below his van.
The court docket seen CCTV footage of him wanting below his van within the “press-up” place at a carpark exterior a Dublin resort earlier that day. He additionally mentioned he believed that he was a member of the 62nd Cavalry Reserve of the Irish Military and that when he placed on a Roscommon hat and a leather-based waistcoat that he was sporting his Irish Military uniform and was going to “police the streets for Covid”.
Mr Silver (46), a motorcycle mechanic from Aughavard, Foxford, Co Mayo, has pleaded not responsible to the homicide of Det Garda Horkan figuring out or being reckless as as to whether he was a member of An Garda Síochána performing in accordance along with his responsibility. He pleaded responsible to manslaughter by purpose of diminished accountability, at Castlerea, Co Roscommon, on June seventeenth, 2020.
Mr Silver instructed Ms Lacey that he grew up in Roscommon and educated as a motor mechanic after leaving faculty following his Junior Certificates exams. He mentioned he had a “long-standing psychiatric historical past”, having been admitted to psychiatric items 17 instances since he was 19 or 20 years outdated. Some admissions have been voluntary, others involuntary, he mentioned, and he had been identified with schizoaffective dysfunction and bipolar dysfunction.
The jury heard that Det Garda Horkan had introduced Mr Silver to the psychiatric unit on one event in 2003. The accused mentioned he remembered the incident however didn’t bear in mind Det Garda Horkan. He added: “I used to be very distressed at the moment so I wouldn’t bear in mind quite a bit.”
He was married for about 13 years however break up from his spouse in February 2020. “We simply hadn’t been getting on that properly on the time,” he mentioned. He moved to a flat in Foxford however couldn’t afford the lease so he left and moved right into a shed he had purchased to increase his motorcycle mechanic enterprise.
He had been prescribed olanzapine to deal with his psychological issues however was not taking his medicine.
On the day Det Garda Horkan was shot, Mr Silver recalled that he was getting very talkative. He mentioned he was getting “hyper”, “speaking gibberish”.
On his return to Castlerea from Dublin that day, he came upon that his outdated buddy James Coyne’s home had been raided by armed gardaí and went to him. They hadn’t seen each other for about 13 years, he mentioned, however they embraced and shook arms.
They determined to go to Mr Silver’s bike restore store in Foxford however stopped at Castlerea Garda station on the way in which. Mr Silver mentioned he couldn’t bear in mind what he mentioned to gardaí however had supposed to “inform them to not be mistreating James”. He remembered having a “rant” on the garda manning the desk.
Mr Silver will proceed his proof earlier than Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of seven males and 5 girls on Thursday.