A 27-year-old Thurles man has been found guilty but insane of the double murder of his parents. Martin Doherty had denied murdering William and Theresa Doherty in September 1998, but pleaded insanity. The jury of six men and six women took just 21 minutes to reach their verdict.
Both the prosecution and the defence have accepted that Martin Doherty suffered from schizophrenia and was in a psychotic state when he stabbed his parents in what he himself called a ferocious attack. The judge, in accordance with the law, ordered that he should be kept in custody in the Central Mental Hospital until the Government's pleasure is known. This antiquated 19th century legislation on criminal insanity was sharply criticised by a senior High Court judge last week in a different case. Mr Justice Carney called the Act "grotesque" and he criticised the legislature for failing to update it.
The medical evidence in the Martin Doherty case, which was accepted by the Jury, diagnosed him as an acute schizophrenic who was in a psychotic state when he stabbed his parents. He said that his world had become a battleground and he received endless messages telepathically. At the time he thought his parents were bad. In court he said that they were decent people. The killing of both parents, known as parricide, is extremely rare and senior barristers could not recall another such case in this country.
Mr Doherty nodded and said "thank you" when the jury announced their decision. His two brothers Keith and Colin, who have supported him throughout the trial, hugged friends when the verdict was announced.
