Man found not guilty of killing Banagher man

A Dublin man who attacked and killed a Banagher man with a garden shears has been committed to the Central Mental Hospital after the jury found him not guilty by reason of insanity at the Central Criminal Court on Wednesday. Thirty year old Michael Hughes, a bus driver who lived in Banagher, was killed in the stairwell of an apartment block after being locked out of his cousin"s house after a night out in Dublin in December 2007. Thomas Connors, 25, of Manor Court, Mount Argos, Harold"s Cross, thought Mr Hughes was the devil when he found him asleep under the stairs and attacked him with a garden shears. The jury heard that Mr Hughes had gone out for a night in Dublin with his cousin and friends and was due to stay at his cousin"s flat in Harold"s Cross. However, when Mr Hughes returned to his cousin"s flat at 4am he was unable to get into the apartment. He decided to sleep in the stairwell and after 6am Mr Connors came through the glass doors of the apartment block with a garden shears and attacked Mr Hughes, inflicting some 143 injuries. Residents of the apartment block heard screaming and phoned the Gardai, who found Mr Connors walking away from the scene with the shears. Mr Connors told the Gardai that he had fought with the devil and the devil was now gone. The court heard that in the days leading up to the killing Mr Connors had gone to hospital three times seeking help. He was hearing voices and suffering delusions that his wife was the daughter of the devil. On his second visit to hospital Mr Connors was given tablets. His wife became so frightened that she took their child to a women"s shelter. The day before Mr Hughes was killed, doctors at St Vincent"s Hospital decided Mr Connors should be admitted to St James"s Hospital but during the four-hour wait for an ambulance he absconded. Mr Justice George Birmingham told the jury members that they had reached the right verdict in accordance with the expert evidence. He thanked them for their careful attention to the case and exempted them from jury service for seven years. He added that this was a case of 'mind-boggling sadness' and if it had not been for the issue of insanity it would have been a perfectly clear and appalling case of murder. Mr Justice Birmingham directed that Mr Connors be committed to the Central Mental Hospital until further order. Addressing Mr Hughes"s family the judge said: 'You truly have been through the most appalling experience. Words can"t and don"t describe it and all I can do is express my sympathy.' Outside the Four Courts Michael"s father, Liam Hughes, made a statement on behalf of his family, saying their thoughts were on the 30 years of love, kindness and generosity of spirit they had enjoyed with Michael. He said he would be remembered by his friends as a respectful and decent person.