Man who stabbed mother to death committed to Central Mental Hospital

A 32-year-old man who stabbed his mother to death with a kitchen knife and was found not guilty of her murder by reason of insanity, has been committed to the Central Mental Hospital.

Fionn Braidwood, with an address at Clarinda Park East, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, was charged with murdering retired psychiatrist Jane Braidwood (65) on January 20th, 2015 at the same address.

Mr Braidwood pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Braidwood at the Central Criminal Court. He also pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm to Ceili Braidwood and Anthony Maguire at the same address and on the same date.

On December 6th, after 32 minutes of deliberation, a jury of two men and 10 women returned verdicts of not guilty by reason of insanity on the three counts.

On Friday, prosecution counsel Alex Owens SC called Dr Sally Linehan, a consultant forensic psychiatrist at the Central Mental Hospital (CMH), to give evidence.

Dr Linehan said she has had a role in Mr Braidwood’s care at the hospital since August 2016 and assessed him on December 11th for the purposes of preparing this report.

Schizophrenia

Dr Linehan said Mr Braidwood was transferred to the hospital in January 2015 and he suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and depression.

“It’s my view that Mr Braidwood has responded to treatment but to date there has only been a partial response. His delusions have resolved but he still has low mood, social withdrawal and a lack of motivation. In my view he has a mental disorder,” she said.

The court heard that while Mr Braidwood has made some progress in acknowledging he requires medication, this insight remains partial.

“In my view he requires inpatient care and treatment in a designated centre and the CMH is that centre,” she said.

Dr Linehan said Mr Braidwood remains on medication to treat both his schizophrenia and depression and this would be the case for the foreseeable future.

She recommended to the court that Mr Braidwood be committed to the hospital and confirmed there was a bed available for him there.

Ms Justice Carmel Stewart said she had heard the evidence from Dr Linehan and how Mr Braidwood suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and depression. She made an order committing Mr Braidwood to the hospital for inpatient care.

During the trial the court heard that Ms Braidwood died after receiving three stab wounds to her chest. Two consultant psychiatrists gave evidence during the trial that Mr Braidwood was suffering from schizophrenia and would have been unable to refrain from his actions.

They both said that he met the requirements for the special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.