AN Innishannon man who is in custody at the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) on the grounds that he is unfit to enter a plea to a charge of the attempted murder of his mother, is set for a November court appearance, having been found fit to plead to a charge of stealing alcohol from a supermarket.
Gearoid Coughlan (31) of Ballycoughlan, Innishannon, faces two charges of theft of a few cans of beer and a bottle of gin from Aldi supermarket in Dunmanway last May 28th and 29th.
One week later, on June 4th, he was accused of attempting to murder his mother Mary at the family home, and was previously remanded in custody at the CMH on the grounds that he is unfit to enter a plea in relation to that charge.
Last week at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Helen Boyle directed that Mr Coughlan be assigned a second counsel following an application from the defence in the case.
She said it was appropriate to assign a second legal counsel for the theft charge, given the ‘complicated’ history of mental illness of the accused.
Mr Coughlan will appear before the court in person on November 10th next.
He had previously been found unfit to plead to the theft charge, following the presentation of oral psychiatric evidence. Previously, Dr Eugene Morgan testified that Mr Coughlan appears to have ‘chronic schizophrenia.’
‘Unfortunately, he also takes illicit drugs including head shop drugs — he consumes quantities of drugs and then gets quite psychotic.
‘He has responded well to medication in the past but he is extremely paranoid and has a complex delusionary pattern, about being attacked,’ the doctor added.
