The jurors in the trial of a woman accused of murdering her three children in Co Dublin have retired to begin their deliberations.
Deirdre Morley, of Parson’s Court, Newcastle, Co Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Conor (9), Darragh (7) and Carla (3) McGinley on January 24th last year, by reason of insanity.
Two forensic psychiatrists believed she was suffering from a mental disorder at the time, but it's up to the jurors to decide if the special verdict applies.
Earlier today, the Central Criminal Court heard that Ms Morley told a psychiatrist afterwards that she wished she had a time machine.
Dr Brenda Wright, a forensic psychiatrist, told the jury that Ms Morley had a history of depression, which she said became psychotic as time went on.
By late 2019, she said she had developed delusional beliefs that her mental illness was damaging her children.
She said those thoughts manifested to the point where she believed killing them urgently was absolutely necessary, and she couldn’t identify an alternative solution.
Dr Wright was also of the view that she wouldn’t have been able to stop herself.
She was also satisfied that she met the criteria for the special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.
