Galway man trialled for murdering his brother committed to Central Mental Hospital
A Galway man has been committed to the Central Mental Hospital after being found not guilty of murdering his brother by reason of insanity.
Declan Ó Cualain of Cuileán in Carraroe strangled him to death because he was convinced he had been “afflicted by paedophilia”.
Adrian Folan’s body was found in July 2014 under some rocks in a shallow pool of water at a quarry near the Cliffs of Moher.
He had been missing for several days.
Following his arrest, his brother Declan admitted strangling him to death with a cord while they were parked up listening to some music at the cliffs.
His trial heard he had a history of mental health issues and had altered his approach to his medication in the lead up to the killing.
He had become fixated by paedophilia and got it into his head that Adrian was afflicted with this difficulty.
Last month, a jury found him not guilty by reason of insanity.
Today, a consultant forensic psychiatrist said he was responding well to treatment and became tearful during one session where they spoke about his brother.
Dr. Sally Linehan recommended he be committed to the Central Mental Hospital and Ms. Justice Margaret Heneghan made the order.
