Murder accused had psychiatric treatment, court hears

A retired psychiatric nurse told a jury today that a Kerry man accused of murdering his uncle was admitted to hospital for psychiatric treatment after the killing.

Mr John Kelly, a retired community psychiatric nurse from Killarney, said that Eugene Daly was admitted to hospital for psychiatric services.

"He was initially admitted as post traumatic stress disorder possibly related to the stress of the whole business that was going on," he told the jury at the Central Criminal Court.

Daly's counsel Mr Brendan Grehan SC said that no doctor was suggesting that Daly was insane.

Mr Kelly said that Daly's condition was reviewed and assessed.

The court has heard that Eugene Daly told gardaí that he threw his uncle Patrick (Paddy) Daly's body down a well after his father Sean, who is now dead, had hit him with an iron bar.

Eugene Daly (aged 29), of Dooneen , Kilcummin, Killarney has pleaded not guilty to the unlawful killing of his uncle, Mr Patrick Daly (aged 69) at Dooneen on January 18, 1996.

Mr Kelly told the jury that he received a phone call on January 13, 1996 from Sean Daly expressing concerns about his brother Paddy's behaviour.

Sean told him that he had received a solicitor's letter warning him to keep away from the house.

Mr Kelly said he arranged for Paddy Daly to have an out patient appointment for January 22.

Cross examined by Mr Grehan, Mr Kelly said that there was a history of psychiatric illness in the accused's family.

He said that his mother had been hospitalised for schizophrenia and his sister Eileen also suffered from schizophrenia.

He said that Eugene Daly would have been 16 years old when his mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Mr Kelly said that the victim, Mr Patrick Daly, suffered from bi polar disorder and had mood swings.

He told Mr Grehan that it would be fair to say that "Sean supported Paddy over the years. He was always concerned".

Mr Kelly agreed that he had given an assessment in April, 1996 of Eugene Daly which said that he was "a guarded, introverted young man who associates poorly with people outside the family circle".

But he added:"He would be a solitary individual but quite articulate."

Mr Kelly agreed that Eugene had been in a FAS course for a brief period but was unable to stay on it.

The trial before Mr Justice Abbott and the jury of six men and six women continues today tomorrow.