Man who killed his mother is committed

An autistic man who beat his mother to death in a “very sad case, with a sad background narrative”, has been committed to the Central Mental Hospital in Dublin.

Bijan Afshar, 23, was accused of the murder of his mother Lynn Cassidy, 50, at her home in Deepdales, Bray, Co Wicklow, on June 26 or 27, 2014. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and the jury of six men and six women delivered a unanimous verdict after less than one hour of deliberation at the Central Criminal Court.

Mr Afshar, who beat his mother to death when she told him she couldn’t prevent the sale of the house he shared with his father, was committed to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) in Dundrum for inpatient care.