Man ‘lost in his own mind’ not getting treatment in custody
Waterford Courthouse.
A man "completely lost in his own mind" is not getting treatment in custody, Waterford District Court has heard.
The man, who has been in custody since December, is charged with making threats to kill or cause serious harm at Sara Technology, on Broad Street in Waterford city, on December 14, 2025.
Judge Kevin Staunton said there was “no question” that the man was in need of psychiatric intervention, but it seemed there was a question over his fitness to plead.
He told the man’s sister that he agreed with her that the situation was “intolerable”.
“I might be amenable to reopening the question of bail because he is not getting treatment in prison, and that’s not without a risk either,” said Judge Staunton.
The man’s sister and brother-in-law, who are doctors themselves, addressed the court this week to advocate for the defendant.
His sister said that her brother was “completely lost in his mind”.
She said that he has a diagnosis of schizophrenia and that his medication had been stopped seven months ago.
She said that her brother had been a kind person, but his lack of treatment has led to his current situation.
She said she has tried to speak to the governor at the prison and that she just “wished someone would give me five minutes to explain”.
Judge Kevin Staunton asked if her brother was released, could she get him to take his medication, to which the sister said he had already been offered, but he is refusing and even in his current state, he cannot be forced.
The man’s brother-in-law told the court that he must be admitted to the Department of Psychiatry and that his mental health gets worse every day.
Sergeant John Phelan told the court that a file was sent to the DPP on February 12, and the state is awaiting directions.
However, the psychiatric report ordered by the court on multiple occasions remains unavailable.
That is despite the man’s family pleading for assistance and the judge’s orders.
Acting for the defendant, solicitor Ken Cunningham said the delay is due to capacity issues and “limits on the system operating or not operating”.
He stated that without direction from the DPP, he could not brief the consultant conducting the assessment.
Judge Staunton said that directions needed to be prioritised as the man had been in custody since December.
He said that while he would have to put the matter back to March 12, he was marking it peremptory against the state.
He said the DPP must have directions by the next date.
