A 60-YEAR-OLD MAN who shot dead a mother-of-six and injured her daughter as they sat drinking tea in their kitchen has been found not guilty of murder and attempted murder by reason of insanity.

James Redmond (60) with an address at Killinarden Estate, Tallaght, Dublin 24 was charged with murdering Mary Dargan and attempting to murder Karina Dargan at their home in the same estate on 15 March, 2014.

Redmond pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the two charges at the Central Criminal Court.

Prosecution counsel, Pauline Walley SC, told the jury both families were neighbours and had lived “peacefully and amicably side-by-side” in the Killinarden Estate for many years.

Redmond had become depressed some months earlier and he wrongly believed Karina Dargan was “chanting” that he was a paedophile and it was being said about him in the community.

It was established during the trial that there was “no substance or truth” to these allegations nor any basis in reality for them.

On 15 March, Redmond left his home, jumped over the back wall with a shotgun and then shot Mary Dargan dead.

Her daughter Karina was also shot in the head but survived.

Two consultant forensic psychiatrists gave evidence that Redmond was suffering from “severe depressive episodes with psychotic symptoms” 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.

Jury 

After a period of four hours and five minutes deliberating, a jury of seven men and five women returned majority verdicts of not guilty on both counts today.

After they had delivered their verdict, Justice Robert Eagar thanked the jury for their attention to the case.

It’s a difficult case and I appreciate your reflections. One of the biggest things that you can do as an Irish citizen is sit on a jury and judge on the facts.

The judge exempted them from further jury service for a period of five years.

He then made an order committing Redmond to go to the Central Mental Hospital today and to be brought back before the court tomorrow.

The judge also directed the preparation of a psychiatric assessment.

Comments are off as the case is before the courts. 

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