Nigerian man finally put in psychiatric care

THE mentally ill Nigerian man who has been moved between prison, a Garda station cell and a hotel over the past five days was admitted to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) in Dundrum last night.

The move follows repeated efforts by his lawyers and the courts to get him into secure psychiatric care.

John Ughamadu, 25, was due to appear on remand at Limerick District Court today on charges of assault and breach of public order arising of incidents at the Quality Hotel, Childers Road, last Sunday.

The emergency housing section of Limerick City Council found him accommodation at the hotel following a ruling by the High Court on Friday last that his detention in a cell at Roxboro Road Garda Station was unlawful.

However, he was banned from the hotel last Sunday after an incident and ended up back in custody at Roxboro Road Station.

On Monday he was remanded in custody to Limerick prison and was due back in court again this afternoon.

Judge Tom O’Donnell had requested the director of the CMH, Dr Harry Kennedy and the director of psychiatric services in the mid-west to attend court today to outline what they proposed to do to provide psychiatric assessment of Ughamadu.

He was originally arrested after being found naked in a Christmas crib in a Limerick church.

When he was brought to Limerick District Court, after his initial arrest in the church repeated efforts to get him admitted to the CMH failed.

On one occasion he was brought to the CMH after a bed became available.

However, a Limerick psychiatric patient who is charged with stabbing a psychiatrist attached to Limerick Prison, was given the place instead.

Solicitor Ted McCarthy brought Ughamadu’s case to the High Court in Dublin under section 40 of the Constitution.

Mr Justice John Edwards ruled that Ughamadu’s detention at Roxboro Garda station was not lawful.

He invited the Ughamadu’s legal team to sue the State for breaching his rights under the European Court of Human Rights.

It is unlikely that Ughamadu will be brought to Limerick District Court today and a further adjournment may be sought by Mr McCarthy on behalf of the defendant while he gets assessed at the CMH.