Man accused of murdering brother and two sisters to undergo psychiatric assessment

Andy Cash appeared via video link from Mountjoy Prison for the brief hearing where the fixing of his trial date has been delayed. File picture

The fixing of a trial date for a man accused of murdering his two sisters and brother in Tallaght has been adjourned by a judge at the Central Criminal Court to allow the defence team to procure a psychiatric assessment.

Lisa Cash (18) and her eight-year-old twin brother and sister, Christy and Chelsea Cawley, died after an incident at their family home in Rossfield Avenue, in the Brookfield area of Tallaght, in the early hours of September 4, 2022.

Gardaí from Tallaght Garda station, supported by armed detectives and members of an armed support unit, responded to the incident. During a stand-off, officers used non-lethal devices to achieve an arrest.

Andy Cash (24), also from Rossfield Avenue, is charged with the three murders and he was sent forward for trial to the Central Criminal Court earlier this month after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) directed trial on indictment.

Brendan Grehan SC, defending Mr Cash, informed Mr Justice Paul McDermott on Wednesday that his client had just been returned for trial and is on remand in Mountjoy Prison. Mr Grehan said the defence would need to have a psychiatric assessment conducted on the accused.

Mr Justice McDermott asked Mr Grehan if the psychiatric assessment went towards his client's fitness to plead. "Not fitness [to plead] based on my consultation," replied the barrister.

Mr Cash appeared via video link from Mountjoy Prison for the brief hearing.

Mr Grehan asked the court to put the matter back until a date in July in order to have a psychiatric assessment carried out on the accused. "Mr Cash is aware that this is our intention, we spoke to him last night," he added.

The case was adjourned until July 12 next, when the accused will be produced by video link again.