One of six patients released last year from Central Mental Hospital forced to return

Patients are referred to the psychiatric facilities at the Central Mental Hospital because they are deemed unfit to stand trial or found not guilty of offences by reason of insanity. File picture: Frank Miller

Six patients were conditionally discharged from the Central Mental Hospital, having previously been found not guilty of crimes by reason of insanity or deemed unfit to stand trial.

One of those who were released from the facility was subsequently “recalled” following a material breach of their conditional discharge order, according to the latest annual report of the Mental Health (Criminal Law) Review Board.

The detention of 87 patients was reviewed by the board in 2021, 39 of whom had been charged with or convicted of murder. Other offences allegedly committed by the patients included sexual assault, attempted kidnap of a child, and arson.

The board is responsible for reviewing the detention of patients who have been referred to psychiatric facilities because they were deemed unfit to stand trial or found not guilty of offences by reason of insanity.

It has the power to order the continued detention of patients or order their discharge on either a conditional or unconditional basis. The board also reviews the detention of prisoners transferred to the Central Mental Hospital suffering from a mental disorder.

A total of 62% of the patients whose detention was reviewed last year were diagnosed with schizophrenia, while a further 22% were suffering from schizoaffective disorder. The remaining 16% were diagnosed with other conditions.

Each patient usually has a review every six months, and 196 hearings took place in 2021 in respect of the 87 patients, which included 78 men and nine women. Seven of these had their first review last year, while two underwent review for the 37th time.

The board approved the conditional discharge of six patients from the Central Mental Hospital in 2021, which was the same number discharged during the previous year. They had been detained for an average of eight years before being released.

A total of four patients who had previously been conditionally discharged from the facility applied to have those conditions removed last year. One of these applications was granted, while hearings in relation to two others were postponed, and a third was adjourned.

Some 39 of the 87 patients reviewed had been charged with or convicted of murder. In the majority of these cases, the victim had been a family member of the patient. Eight patients had been convicted of attempted murder, manslaughter or death by dangerous driving.

A total of 25 had been charged with or convicted of assault causing harm or serious bodily harm, and three had faced charges of arson. Other offences included sexual assault, threat to kill, harassment, false imprisonment, and possession of a knife with intent to cause harm.

The Mental Health (Criminal Law) Review Board is a quasi-judicial body chaired by retired High Court judge Iarfhlaith O’Neill. Its three ordinary members include two consultant psychiatrists and a counsellor psychotherapist.