Woman in throes of 'psychotic state' when she stabbed her 94-year-old father, court hears

State alleges accused was in the throes of a psychotic or mental state where she thought God was instructing her that the person she was seeing in her house 'was not her dad' but someone who took his form and she was to stab him

Court heard there would be no issue about Patrick Flood's cause of death and the issue would be whether the accused was insane at the time she stabbed her father in the stomach.

A woman was in the throes of a psychotic state when she fatally stabbed her 94-year-old father in the stomach on his birthday in their Wexford home as she thought the voice of God was instructing her that someone had taken his form, a jury has heard.

It was during the opening of the trial of murder-accused Julie Flood at the Central Criminal Court on Tuesday that a prosecuting barrister said the experts in the case agreed the accused fell within the legal definition of someone who was insane when she stabbed her father.

Michael Delaney SC, defending Ms Flood, made three formal admissions to the court on behalf of his client. These included that the accused had stabbed her father with a kitchen knife at their home in the early hours of the morning on April 12, 2019, that the single stab wound inflicted by the act caused the death of Patrick Flood two days later, and that the accused was properly arrested and detained by gardaí.

A driver told the jury the accused woman was in a state of distress when she flagged him down in her pyjamas on the side of the road that morning and told him: "I'm after stabbing my daddy."

Julie Flood, 51, with an address listed as The Oyle, Oylegate, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, is accused of the murder of her father Patrick, 94, at their home address at The Oyle on April 14, 2019. She has pleaded not  guilty by reason of insanity.

Prosecution case

Opening the prosecution’s case on Tuesday, Mr Shane Costelloe SC told the 12 jurors this was somewhat an unusual case and that much of what would be put forward in evidence was agreed between the parties.

Counsel told the jury the allegation against Ms Flood is that she stabbed her father and he died from the stab wound. Mr Costelloe said there would be no issue about Mr Flood's cause of death and the issue would be whether the accused was insane at the time she stabbed her father in the stomach.

There will be expert evidence from both the State and the defence, Mr Costelloe said, and it is quite likely the jury will be presented with a unified approach from them. 

"It is quite likely you won't hear contrary evidence but a unified version. They agree on her state of mind, her mental condition at the time she stabbed her father," he added.

The issue in the case, the prosecution barrister said, would be whether Ms Flood was sane or insane when she stabbed her father. "It seems to be the case that the experts agree that at the time Ms Flood stabbed her father she fell within the legal definition of someone who was insane," he added.

Outlining the facts of the case, Mr Costelloe said on April 12, 2019, it was Patrick Flood's birthday and he had turned 94. He lived in Oylegate at the time with his then 48-year-old daughter Julie.

Counsel said the State alleges Ms Flood was in the throes of a psychotic or mental state where she thought God was instructing her that the person she was seeing in her house "was not her dad" but someone who took his form and she was to stab him. 

Ms Flood stabbed her father, left the house and went to the side of the road where she flagged down a male driver.

The court heard further evidence would be that the man went to Ms Flood's house and found Patrick Flood bleeding profusely from the wound to his abdomen. Mr Flood was conscious at the time and able to engage with gardaí.

The court will also hear evidence, the lawyer said, that Mr Flood was brought to the local hospital where a decision was made "in fairly short order" that he required surgery. It appeared at first blush that Mr Flood might pull through but he passed away two days later on April 14.

The barrister further stated it would be read into the record that the conclusion of the Assistant State Pathologist who performed the autopsy was that Mr Flood died from the stab wound and very serious heart disease.

Evidence against the accused

In relation to the evidence against the accused, Mr Costelloe said Ms Flood was in a heightened state when she was arrested, detained and questioned by gardaí.

Mr Costelloe said the accused was clearly still suffering emotionally and was distraught by what she had done and had told gardaí she thought she was directed by the voice of God to stab her father.

Alan Somers gave evidence that he was driving to work on a by road leading onto the main Wexford-Enniscorthy Road at 7.15am on the morning of April 12 when he saw a woman trying to flag people down. He said the woman was physically big and was wearing pyjamas at the side of the road. The witness agreed it was immediately apparent to him that the woman was in a state of distress.

Mr Somers said he pulled in and asked the woman what was wrong. He said the woman was hysterical and was able to say: "I'm after stabbing my daddy."

The witness ran up to the woman's house and saw an elderly man wearing chequered pyjamas who was covered in blood and in some distress standing by the porch entrance. Mr Somers said the man was standing with his hands by his side and said "she is after stabbing me", referring to the accused Julie Flood.

Mr Somers called 999 and said the accused remained outside the house and continued to appear to be in a great degree of distress.

Very agitated

While there, the witness said he observed Ms Flood saying "I'm sorry daddy" over and over. He agreed with Mr Costelloe the accused appeared to be very agitated and extremely distressed.

An ambulance arrived and assistance was provided to Mr Flood. Mr Somers got a sheet to put over the significant amount of blood on the floor inside the hall door.

He agreed Ms Flood was in such a heightened and agitated state that one of her neighbour's got her dog so the accused could pat him to calm her down. Ms Flood was put into the back of the Garda patrol car.

Mr Somers said he asked Mr Flood on several occasions to sit down but he was quite distressed and repeatedly stood up.

The trial continues on Tuesday afternoon before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of six men and six women.