Garda murder accused has 'pattern of behaviour to create confrontations with gardaí'

Professor Harry Kennedy does not believe Stephen Silver's responsibility for the shooting was diminished due to a relapse of bipolar disorder

Professor Harry Kennedy said Stephen Silver (pictured) would control dramatic interactions with gardaí and said such behaviour is not a feature of bipolar disorder. File picture

Garda murder accused Stephen Silver has shown a "pattern of self-dramatizing behaviour" to bring about confrontations and negotiations with gardaí, a consultant psychiatrist has told the Central Criminal Court.

Professor Harry Kennedy told Mr Silver's trial that in previous encounters with gardaí during his history of involuntary admissions to psychiatric units Mr Silver displayed behaviours that are not features of typical bipolar disorder. He added: "They are angry and confrontational and dramatic. What happens in the course of mental illness is that ordinary personality features are exaggerated... that’s a product not of illness but of underlying personality."