‘Delusions’ led to knife attack on publican

A man who stabbed a popular publican in his home was found not guilty of assault causing harm and aggravated burglary by reason of insanity at Kilkenny Circuit Court.

Karol Keane, Kilmanagh, was remanded to the Central Mental Hospital where he will be assessed by a psychiatrist and is due to appear at Kilkenny Circuit Court on May 13.

In her summing up to the jury, Judge Alice Doyle outlined how Keane had broken a rear door of Brennans public house, Kilmanagh, in the early hours of July 13, 2013, and entered the premises. He proceeded to an upstairs bedroom where he stabbed Joe Brennan a number of times in the chest and abdomen before leaving the scene. Mr Brennan’s young children were in the house at the time.