Kilkenny man not guilty of murder by reason of insanity

A Kilkenny man who stabbed shop worker Mairead Moran to death at her workplace has been found not guilty of her murder by reason of insanity.

The trial heard that Shane Smyth, aged 29, believed Mairead Moran had stolen a “vile of his blood”, had “installed hidden cameras”, and put “black widow spiders” in his house.

Mr Smyth, of McGuinness House, Evans Lane, Kilkenny, was charged with murdering Ms Moran, aged 26, on May 8, 2014 at the Market Cross Shopping Centre in Kilkenny City.