Judge attacks mental hospital over consultant’s absence

A JUDGE yesterday launched a strong attack on the Central Mental Hospital over the manner he said it was treating his court.

Judge Tom O’Donnell made his comments at Limerick District Court when a consultant psychiatrist from the CMH was not present to give a report on Nigerian, John Ughamadu who was sent there after a number of incidents which led to him facing public order and assault charges.

Dr Pamela Decoteau, a registrar at the CMH was in court and gave a report to Judge O’Donnell who said there were a number of matters in the report he wanted to address with consultant psychiatrist at the CMH, Dr Helen O’Neill.

Dr Decoteau said Dr O’Neill could not attend because of appointments she had.

Judge O’Donnell said he had to be careful not to proceed in the absence of the accused man’s consultant.

He asked Dr Decoteau to ascertain when Dr O’Neill could come to court and after a brief adjournment she came back to court to say Dr O’Neill stood over her report.

Judge O’Donnell said he could not express in the strongest terms the way his court was being treated.

It was, he said, an utter disgrace and he had tried a number of times to have the consultant psychiatrist present.

He recalled a number of attempts to get the accused admitted to the CMH had failed before he was admitted.

Judge O’Donnell said in a reference book, the director of the CMH, Dr Harry Kennedy, has stated a judge cannot proceed in making a finding in these cases without the support of evidence of a consultant psychiatrist. Adjourning the matter to 2pm today, Judge O’Donnell said he expected Dr O’Neill to be present.

John Ughamadu, 25, was arrested after he was found naked in a Christmas crib in a Limerick church.

He was held for a number of days in a cell at Roxboro Road Garda Station and the High Court ruled this detention was unlawful and urged his lawyer, Ted McCarthy to consider suing the State for denial of his human rights under EU law.

On his release, Limerick City Council got him accommodation in a local hotel, but he was only there a day when he was asked to leave after an incident.

He was then arrested after a staff member was assaulted.

A place was then found for him at the CMH to have him assessed.