A 47-year-old man has pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of his elderly mother in a Co Waterford nursing home last year.
Gerald Vollrath of Tramore Heights, Tramore, Co Waterford had been charged with the murder of 83-year-old Veronica Vollrath on or about 9 January 2012.
Today the prosecution withdrew the murder charge and he pleaded guilty to a substituted charge of attempted murder.
Vera Vollrath was found dead in her room at the Killure Bridge Nursing Home on the outskirts of Waterford city on 9 January last year.
Two days later Vollrath was charged with her murder.
At the Central Criminal Court last Monday he pleaded not guilty to the charge.
A jury was sworn in and the trial was due to start this afternoon.
However, today prosecuting counsel told the judge there had been a development since Monday.
The prosecution dropped the murder charge and Vollrath was re-arraigned and pleaded guilty to a substituted charge of attempted murder.
Vollrath was remanded on bail.
The court was told the conditions of his bail could be relaxed.
He must now sign on at a garda station once a week. He will be sentenced on 17 February next year.
