Julian Cuddihy. Pic by Northwest News Pix.
A Co Donegal man suffering from paranoid schizophrenia who attacked his parents with an axe has been committed to the Central Mental Hospital in Dublin.
The Irish Times report that Julian Cuddihy (43) was accused of murdering his mother Kathleen (73) and father James (77) at their family home in Churchtown, Carndonagh on October 22nd, 2014.
Earlier this month, he pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and a jury delivered a unanimous verdict after less than an hour of deliberation at the Central Criminal Court.
Cuddihy, who believed that by killing his parents he was sending them to heaven, was on Monday committed to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) in Dundrum for inpatient care.
Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan ordered his committal on foot of a report by Dr Sally Lenihan, consultant forensic psychiatrist based at the CMH in Dublin.
Dr Lenihan told the court that Mr Cuddihy was first admitted to the CMH on October 31st, 2014, suffering from psychotic symptoms and delusional beliefs.
She assessed him as suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, a state of mind that affects his thinking, perception, emotion and judgment, and that impairs his mental function to the extent that he requires care or treatment.
She told the court that the kind of care Cuddihy needs is available only at the CMH.
Ms Justice Heneghan said she was satisfied that Cuddihy was suffering from a mental disorder under the definition of the 2006 Criminal Law (Insanity) Act and was in need of inpatient care in “the only designated centre” – the Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum.
The judge ordered his committal to the CMH for inpatient care and treatment.