At the Central Criminal Court, closing arguments concluded in the trial of a 30-year-old Ballina man charged with the murders of two elderly brothers in Castlebar on 10 July 2013. The accused has admitted causing the deaths of Thomas Blaine, aged 69, and John Blaine, aged 76, but pleaded not guilty to murder. The prosecution argued the accused made a deliberate decision to kill both men in acts of extreme violence, and that intoxication does not constitute a mental disorder sufficient to reduce culpability. The defence contended the accused suffered from personality disorders and substance dependencies from birth, submitting these amounted to mental disorder within the meaning of relevant legislation, warranting a verdict of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. The jury was instructed that closing charges would follow on Monday, with deliberations to commence thereafter.
Source links
Original report plus public source leads and related archive reports used for review context.
Public source leads
- Judge tells jury in Alan Cawley trial to consider whether accused had mental disorder - Irish Independent Irish Independent · Mon, 24 Jul 2017 07:00:00 GMT
Related court reports
-
Intoxication led Mayo man to extremely violent acts, psychiatrist tells murder trial
Courts News Ireland · 2017-07-20
A State forensic psychiatrist has told the Central Criminal Court that a Mayo man was voluntarily intoxicated when he killed two elderly brothers with special needs,...
-
Jury have to consider whether double murder accused had mental disorder
Courts News Ireland · 2017-07-24
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has begun deliberating in a double murder trial concerning a 30-year-old man from Ballina, County Mayo. Alan Cawley has admitted...
-
Murder accused did not have mental disorders in law, forensic psychiatrist tells trial
Courts News Ireland · 2017-07-19
A forensic psychiatrist for the State has told the Central Criminal Court that a Co Mayo man accused of murder did not have mental disorders recognised in law, despite...
-
Mental disorders diminished killer's responsibility, psychiatrist tells trial
Courts News Ireland · 2017-07-18
A consultant psychiatrist has testified at the Central Criminal Court that a 30-year-old man accused of killing two elderly brothers in Castlebar was suffering from...
-
"The extreme of violence": murder accused told gardai he poured boiling water over disabled pensioner’s genitals
Courts News Ireland · 2017-07-17
A man from Ballina, County Mayo, has admitted killing two disabled brothers but denies murder charges relating to their deaths in Castlebar on 10 July 2013. The...