The jury in the trial of a man accused of the murder of Detective Colm Horkan in Roscommon has heard claims that the defendant’s
behaviour in custody displayed signs of an altered mental state.
Stephen Silver from Foxford in Mayo has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.
Doctor Brenda Wright of the Central Mental Hospital took the stand yesterday for her third day of testimony with the forensic psychiatrist for the Defence giving her analysis of witness statements regarding Mr. Silver and the memorandum of interview of his five Garda interviews.
Over the course of evidence today, Rosin Lacey, SC for the Defence took the Doctor through her report, highlighting her interpretation of the actions and behaviour displayed by Stephen Silver before and after the fatal shooting.
According to Doctor Wright, these examples included the destruction of the clothes provided to him by Gardaí, the breaking of a toilet
lid in the doctor’s room of the station and his urination onto the floor of the cell.
Following questions from the defence over why the Doctor’s report had highlighted several instances of aggressive or challenging behaviour, the mental health professional described them as displays of hostility, agitation, and dis-inhibition.
She continued, referring to witness statements from Gardaí and the attending GP Dr Greg Kelly, that Mr Silver’s behaviour was in keeping with a ‘manic or hypomanic state.’
The defence then highlighted several passages from the doctor’s psychiatric report regarding the accused’s Garda interview, citing the
progression of hostility to the attending detectives and his reduction in cooperation with the process.
It was suggested by the Doctor that Stephen Silver’s elation, cooperation, and amiability with the detectives in the beginning of the
interview process was an example of his failure to understand the gravity of the situation.
As Doctor Wright continued her testimony, she described the defendant becoming more aggressive towards Gardaí, stating that his behaviour was in no way in response to the detective’s actions, who in her words, were acting completely appropriately.
Evidence will continue later this morning in the Central Criminal court in Dublin.
