Man found guilty of airport rampage

A jury found a man guilty of all 12 counts against him yesterday arising out of a rampage where he drove a rescue vehicle at two planes full of passengers.

The key question in the case against Edmond Stapleton, 38, of no fixed abode and originally from Dublin Hill, Blackpool, Cork, was whether or not he was guilty by reason of insanity. The jury effectively rejected the suggestion that an underlying mental condition caused his behaviour on the day.

The jury heard lengthy evidence from two different psychiatrists at the Central Mental Hospital, which was in conflict. Dr Paul O’Connell said Stapleton’s rampage could be attributed to bipolar affective disorder. In contrast, Dr Damian Mohan said that without drugs taken by Stapleton the rampage would not have happened.

In effect the jury agreed with Dr Mohan’s view.

This prompted Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin’s comment: “Doctors differ and patients die. Let the doctors differ and a Cork jury will decide.

“It was a difficult case. From your point of view it was an intellectually stimulating case. I am impressed by the time and consideration you gave it.”

Sentencing was adjourned until Wednesday next. Stapleton gave no visible reaction to the 12 guilty verdicts on charges including hijacking of two 4x4s, criminal damage, assault causing harm to Garda Michael Bohane and dangerous driving on May 22, 2011.

All of the verdicts were unanimous.

Judge Ó Donnabháin told the nine men and three women of the jury before they began their four and a half hours of deliberation that three options were open to them, namely guilty, not guilty or not guilty by reason of insanity.

During the trial, it emerged that Stapleton told the psychiatrist and gardaí that he had planned to make a political protest on 96FM but called to their offices and could not get in so he resorted to the behaviour described by gardaí and witnesses during his trial — hijacking a garda 4x4, ramming through a perimeter fence at Cork Airport, hijacking a rescue 4x4 and driving at two airplanes full of passengers and fuel.

He also told Dr O’Connell: “I was not thinking like myself. It was like someone had taken over my head. I was on remote control.”

The psychiatrist said the accused wanted to be shot by a garda that day and achieve what he described as “death by cop”.

Elsewhere he said he was not suicidal.

The psychiatrist concluded that in his opinion Stapleton, as a result of mental illness at the time, did not know that what he was doing was wrong and he could not see any alternative behaviour as an option.

However, Dr Mohan said: “I am certain this all happened because of drugs. This would not have happened if he was not intoxicated.”