A forensic psychiatrist has told a jury she believes a man on trial for the murder of a Garda was suffering from a relapse of a mental disorder when he shot him.
Stephen Silver, of Aughavard, Foxford, Co Mayo, denies murdering Detective Garda Colm Horkan in June 2020, but admits manslaughter by diminished responsibility.
For the past few days of Stephen Silver’s murder trial, the jurors have been listening to the evidence of defence witness, Dr Brenda Wright, a forensic psychiatrist.
She told the court Mr Silver has been admitted to psychiatric facilities seventeen times. The first was in 1997 and some of those admissions were against his will.
He was diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder and at the time of Det Colm Horkan's death, Dr Wright said she was of the opinion that he was relapsing.
She also said she was of the view that diminished responsibility under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act was appropriate in his case.
The prosecution disagrees and is due to call its own expert.
Their psychiatrist will claim that while Mr Silver was in the early stages of relapse, he had 'significant functional mental capacity' at the time of the shooting.
The issue will ultimately be for the jury to decide.
