Former MEP's son suffered persistent delusions, court told

A court has today heard psychiatric evidence that the son of the former Labour MEP Proinsias de Rossa suffered from schizoaffective disorder when he carried out a frenzied attack on his father.

Fearghal de Rossa (aged 46) from the Old Finglas Road is on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assault causing harm at his home on November 11 last.

The jury has heard that he experienced persistent delusions that gardaí were persecuting him and believed at the time of the attack that his father had colluded with the police.

Psychiatrists believe he was suffering from a mental disorder and did not know that what he was doing was wrong.

The jury will have to decide under the Criminal Law Insanity Act 2010 whether the accused was insane at the time of the attack.