Drug use caused rampage, says doctor

Drug use caused a man to go on a rampage where he drove a rescue 4x4 at two planes full of passengers at Cork Airport, a psychiatrist claimed at his trial yesterday.

Dr Damian Mohan’s psychiatric report was described by Patrick McGrath, defending, as representing an emphatically different conclusion from that reached by Dr Paul O’Connell, psychiatrist called on behalf of the defendant, Edmond Stapleton, last week.

Mr Stapleton, aged 38, of no fixed abode and originally from Dublin Hill, Blackpool, Cork, is on trial on 12 counts on the indictment, including hijacking of two 4x4s, criminal damage, assault causing harm to Garda Michael Bohane, and dangerous driving.