Accused may not be fit to plead, solicitor tells court

Gearoid Coughlan photographed at an earlier appearance at Bandon District Court on Thursday  June 17. Picture: Larry Cummins

The solicitor for a man accused of seriously harming his mother in an incident last month has said issues are emerging over his client’s fitness to plead.

Plunkett Taaffe made his comments in relation to his client, Gearoid Coughlan of Ballycoughlan, Innishannon, Co Cork, as Mr Coughlan faced charges of theft dating from earlier this year.

Mr Coughlan, 31, has already appeared before the district court on a number of occasions in relation to the incident at his family’s home on June 4, during which his mother, Mary, was seriously injured.

As recently as last Monday, Bandon District Court was told that a more serious charge is a possibility, with prosecuting gardaí telling Judge James McNulty a “thorough broad investigation” was ongoing.

On Monday, Mr Taaffe said his client, who is in custody, asked that the case be expedited. When Mr Coughlan expressed dissatisfaction with what he perceived as delays in his case, Judge McNulty told him a book of evidence was due to be presented.

Yesterday in Clonakilty District Court, Mr Coughlan faced charges relating to two alleged thefts a week prior to the serious incident in Innishannon.

Mr Taaffe said: “Issues are arising regarding his fitness to plea.”

He said that if it was determined that Mr Coughlan was unable to plead, then he would proceed straight to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) in Dundrum. Mr Taaffe said he was seeking a report on the issue of fitness to plead, and asked that the theft matters be put back until July 19.

“I might use these proceedings to get a result in relation to Dundrum, which is not going to happen with the other proceedings,” said Mr Taaffe.

At an earlier court sitting, Mr Taaffe said an application had been made on his client’s behalf to access the CMH, with the judge saying that there could be a long waiting list.