Accused had history of aggression, anger and self-harm, says doctor

A CORKMAN accused of murdering a young Englishman had a history of anger, aggression and self-harm and once threatened to kill his mother and sister with a hatchet, according to the defendant’s doctor at the trial yesterday.

The accused man’s doctor was the only person who was called to give defence evidence to Mr Justice Paul Carney and the six men and six women of the jury at the Central Criminal Court in Cork.

The case will resume for more closing speeches today.

Timothy O’Driscoll, aged 34, of St Rita’s Avenue, Gurranabraher, denies a charge of murdering Lee McCarthy, aged 25, on April 17, 2010, at 12 St Rita’s Avenue.

Dr Richard Kennefick was Mr O’Driscoll’s doctor for about 20 years. He found him to be one of the more complex young men he had encountered, frequently being admitted to St Michael’s unit of the Mercy Hospital for psychiatric treatment.

Dr Kennefick said Mr O’Driscoll attended for various medical matters throughout his teenage years.

Throughout O’Driscoll’s 20s, Dr Kennefick referred him to psychiatric services a number of times, including occasions where he cut his own wrists and once when he cut himself across the chest with a Stanley knife.

“On September 10, 2008, he phoned and expressed feelings of anger and said he had threatened to kill his mother and sister with a hatchet. He was admitted to the Mercy Hospital,” Dr Kennefick testified.

He confirmed defence counsel Tom Creed’s suggestion that there had been no actual violence on that occasion.

The doctor said Mr O’Driscoll expressed frustration and anger over the last few years and had been prescribed sedatives and antidepressants, as well as being referred for psychiatric care.

David Grehan, prosecution SC, said there was no clinical diagnosis of psychosis and quoted from the conclusion of a psychiatric report that “he had an antisocial personality with a background of alcohol abuse”.

Following closure of the defence case, Mr Grehan addressed the jury.

“I suggest Lee McCarthy put up no resistance and he was murdered. If you stab someone that many times you can only intend to cause them at least serious injury if not kill them,” said Mr Grehan.

He described the accused man’s accounts which he had given to gardaí as a concocted and elaborate lie. He also claimed that every time Mr O’Driscoll came to the point where he was asked about the deceased man’s stab wounds he said he had no memory of that.

Mr Justice Carney told the jurors that there would be more closing speeches today and that he would not send them out until tomorrow morning to commence their deliberations.