A person who bludgeoned his mom to dying with a hatchet after an argument over an iPhone has been discovered not responsible of her homicide by purpose of madness.
On the Central Prison Courtroom on Friday, a jury of seven ladies and 5 males returned the particular verdict to Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring, at 11.10am after deliberating for three-and-a-half hours within the case of Patrick Dunne, who had pleaded not responsible to murdering his mom Susan Dunne in Kerry in 2013.
Psychiatrists had advised the court docket that Mr Dunne, who admitted killing his mom however denied it was homicide, was incapable of understanding or controlling his actions on the night time and was struggling with a psychological dysfunction on the time.
The trial heard that Mr Dunne, who has autism, advised gardaí in interviews that he “misplaced it” over a disagreement in regards to the buy of an iPhone Ms Dunne believed to be too costly. Ms Dunne died after struggling six hatchet wounds to the top as she lay in her mattress.
The jury heard psychiatric proof that Mr Dunne had “little understanding of the act or its penalties and was unable to chorus” from killing his mom. In addition they heard that Mr Dunne felt his mom was controlling him and perceived that she was stopping him from having an impartial life.
An knowledgeable witness gave proof that there was a end result of anger in Mr Dunne over his restricted life and the defendant had additionally acknowledged that he shoplifted the hatchet with the intention of killing his mom.
The 28-year-old a person admitted to killing his mom “with none lawful justification” however psychiatrists for each the prosecution and defence had been in settlement that the defendant was insane, as outlined by regulation, on the time of his mom’s dying.
Mr Dunne from Ballingeragh, Lixnaw, Co Kerry, had pleaded not responsible to murdering his mom Susan (62) between November twenty sixth and twenty seventh, 2013, each dates inclusive, on the identical tackle.
On Friday the jury advised the registrar they had been unanimous within the not responsible verdict.
After the jury returned the particular verdict immediately, Ms Justice Ring remanded Mr Dunne to the Central Psychological Hospital below Part 5 (3) of the Prison Regulation (Madness Act) and adjourned the matter to November 4th, for a medical replace and the preparation of a sufferer impression assertion. She described the case as a “troublesome” one, “notably when the lifetime of Susan Dunne got here to an finish in such a violent approach”.
Proof
In a press release that was learn into proof in the course of the trial, postmistress Ann McCarthy mentioned that for the earlier three years Ms Dunne would come into the Lixnaw submit workplace along with her son on Wednesday mornings to gather his incapacity allowance. “Susan would at all times have his social welfare card in her purse, take it out and provides it to Patrick. I would go away the €188 on the counter, she would take it and provides him €5 for himself,” she mentioned.
Ms McCarthy mentioned Patrick got here into the submit workplace at 10.30am on November twenty seventh and stood within the queue. Ms McCarthy’s daughter rang her at 10.38am and advised her that she had seen Patrick driving a inexperienced Corolla automobile with nice problem. “I mentioned it couldn’t be him as he doesn’t drive, she mentioned it was. I used to be very alarmed once I heard he was driving a automobile, I knew he shouldn’t be driving a automobile,” the witness mentioned.
Neighbour Anthony McElhinney testified that his cousin arrived at his home on the morning of November twenty seventh to tell him that one thing was incorrect on the Dunne home.
Mr McElhinney went inside the home and kicked within the locked bed room door. He mentioned it was clear that Ms Dunne was useless within the mattress and that there was blood on the sheets, the wall and blood spatter on the door body. He rang Lixnaw Garda station at 11.20am.
Arresting Garda Declan McDonagh mentioned he seen Ms Dunne’s automobile parked on Market Road in Listowel that afternoon and went over to it. The garda mentioned he advised Patrick that his mom had been discovered useless when he noticed the accused method the automobile.
Gda McDonagh arrested Mr Dunne after being notified that the accused had been recognized as a proper suspect within the case.
Antonia Boyle , for the prosecution, learn transcripts of Mr Dunne’s Garda interviews to the jury.
In his interviews, Mr Dunne advised gardaí that he was “uncontrolled” on the night time and had a “dangerous mood”. He mentioned that he rowed along with his mom over the price of an iPhone and went to his room to hearken to music.
He advised gardaí that at about 10pm he acquired up for a drink of water and went to the kitchen the place he seen a hatchet was lacking from a field that contained wooden. He mentioned he went to his mom’s room to search for it.
Ms Boyle mentioned Mr Dunne advised gardaí that it was darkish in his mom’s room and that she was asleep when he discovered it in her room. He advised gardaí that he made “a couple of follow swings” with the hatchet over his mom and “by chance” hit her. “It wasn’t meant to occur,” he advised gardaí.
He then returned to the kitchen with the hatchet and washed off the blood within the sink earlier than drying it and putting it subsequent to the fridge. The hatchet was examined by forensics and blood and hair particles matching Ms Dunne’s had been discovered together with a majority DNA profile for her son, mentioned counsel.
Mr Dunne advised gardaí that he was “shocked” by what occurred and that “he cried, wishing he might take it again”. Mr Dunne mentioned he went to mattress and within the morning returned to his mom’s bed room and tapped her 3 times on the shoulder however she was “gone”.
Of the incident, he repeatedly advised gardaí that he “misplaced it” and that he couldn’t management his mood after changing into upset over the row in regards to the iPhone.
When it was put to Mr Dunne by detectives that the killing was not an accident, Mr Dunne replied: “Probably not, no.” Nevertheless, when requested if the killing was “deliberate”, Mr Dunne mentioned: “Probably not. I misplaced management.”
Detectives advised the accused man that the pathology report confirmed Ms Dunne had been struck by a sharp-edged instrument six instances behind the top. Mr Dunne then admitted to putting Ms Dunne twice with a two-handed swing of the hatchet earlier than then admitting to gardaí that he struck her 4 instances.
Mr Dominic McGinn SC, for the prosecution, learn a assertion from State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster, who mentioned Ms Dunne had sustained six wounds to her head. 5 of them had been a major dimension and had been located behind her proper ear.
Dr Bolster recorded {that a} sharp instrument had penetrated Ms Dunne’s cranium, that there had been a number of fractures and that there had been lacerations to her mind tissue. She discovered that three of the injuries had penetrated the midbrain space.
She mentioned Ms Dunne’s reason for dying was because of a number of blows to the top by a pointy weapon inflicting mind swelling and laceration.
Defence knowledgeable witness Dr Ronan Mullaney advised the jury that in his opinion, Mr Dunne was struggling with a psychological dysfunction on the time of his mom’s dying and was “unable to recognize or chorus from a legal act”. The defendant was pissed off, indignant and overwhelmed”, Dr Mullaney mentioned.
The psychiatrist mentioned Mr Dunne felt that his mom was controlling him and that the accused perceived that his mom was stopping him from having any independence relating to a lifetime of his personal, mates of his personal, socialising, having a girlfriend or contact along with his father.
Dr Mullaney mentioned that earlier than Mr Dunne killed his mom, the accused had years of ideas of doing so and that on the time of her dying the accused felt he had “no different alternative”.
The knowledgeable witness mentioned experiences concluded that Mr Dunne had “unrealistic ambitions” in desirous to develop into “knowledgeable footballer, have a girlfriend and a web-based fan-club”. The physician mentioned there was a end result of anger in Mr Dunne over his restricted life and the defendant had additionally acknowledged that he shoplifted the hatchet with the intention of killing his mom.
Through the trial, the jury broke deliberations and handed a word to the decide asking if they might examine the hatchet, which they took to the jury room and returned minutes later.
Mr Dunne advised interviewers within the Central Psychological Hospital that he regretted what he did and that if “I had had the abilities then that I’ve now my mom would nonetheless be alive”. In interviews, Mr Dunne mentioned he might now see that his mom was attempting to guard him, hold him protected and that she didn’t wish to be alone.
Prosecution knowledgeable witness Dr Anthony Kearns additionally mentioned that, in his opinion, Mr Dunne fulfilled “all standards” to be thought of legally insane on the time of his mom’s killing.
He mentioned the accused’s mom was “very protecting” of Mr Dunne and she or he had “important issues” about him mixing in the neighborhood.
Dr Kearns mentioned that Mr Dunne advised him in an interview that he “regretted” the killing and mentioned: “If I had any option to convey her again to life, I’d do it in a second”.