Mum makes plea for help for ill son

A 29 year old man whom his mother says she is terrified of and feared that someone’s life is going to be taken did not meet the criteria for hospitalisation in a psychiatric hospital, Sligo District Court was told.

Declan Whyte of Cnoc An Iuir, Drumshambo was released on bail last Thursday by Judge Kevin Kilrane ( pictured) who said he cannot send a person to prison for self protection. The defendant could also not be detained involuntary in a secure unit.

“Therefore, he is a free agent. Notwithstanding my fears of what might happen I’m releasing him on bail,” he said.

The court heard that Whyte was suffering from a personality disorder but he did not meet the criteria of bipolar disorder or psychosis such as schizophrenia and that the best course of treatment for him was a structured programme in the community. In house treatment would be counter productive in this case a psychiatrist said.

Whyte is charged with engaging in threatening behaviour at Naomh Padraig, Drumshambo on February 23rd and with assaulting Oleh Ploshchynskyy on the same occasion.

Judge Kilrane said he had received two detailed psychiatric reports on the defendant who had appeared in court in custody having spent time in St Columba’s Hospital where it was alleged he had threatened to kill a nurse and a complaint to Gardaí had been made in respect of this.

Whyte told the court it wasn’t a direct threat to kill and he had said it to a nurse about another member of staff. He regretted saying it. He was willing to go back to St Columba’s as a voluntary patient.

Consultant Psychiatrist Dr S Murthy told the court she was the defendant’s treating psychiatrist since 2010 and he had several admissions but he would disengage from treatment. He spent 21 days in St Columba’s last November and at that time he received addiction counselling. During his current admission he had used cannabis.

Witness told Mr Gerard McGovern, solicitor ( defending) that she did not know where Smyth got the drug.

The defendant said he had taken “a drag” from another patient and gave it straight back when he realised what it was. He thought it “was a rollie.”

The defendant’s mother Rita told Judge Kilrane that her family felt absolutely unprotected. She could see a pattern developing with her son since he was aged 14. He had self- harmed four times since November.

“He’s a mess and my son is in shreds and nobody will take care of him. I’m terrified of being in the same room as him. I’m trying to keep my son alive and he’s out dousing himself in petrol. Someone’s life is going to be taken,” she said.

“Isn’t someone going to take control of him?” she asked.

Judge Kilrane said he was dealing with a very tragic case of a 29 year old man suffering from a very serious illness. His father died in tragic circumstances when he was aged three which was witnessed by him and the Judge said he could only imagine the impact this had on him. They were now seeing the result of that.

The Judge said people were entitled to their liberty and people could not be simply locked up. When found by Gardaí the defendant was ready to set himself alight having doused himself in petrol. It was, said the Judge impossible to prevent self harming if a person intended doing this and he had some sympathy for the medical personnel in dealing with the defendant who was refusing to co- operate in his medical treatment.

The Judge requested that a care plan be drawn up to be also furnished to the defendant’s GP and put the case back for a period. Upon resumption, a plan was handed in to court by Dr. Murthy and this was also released to the Gardaí to assist them in getting their own independent advice, both physical and legal in dealing with the defendant.

Earlier, Inspector Ray Mulderrig said they had to deploy armed officers to deal with the defendant because he had knives and he wanted to avoid a situation that might escalate.

Whyte was released on bail on condition he keeps appointments made under the new care plan, that he stays away from Naomh Padraig and Dublin.

Whyte is due to appear at Carrick- on- Shannon court on March 15th for mention with a further report due on that date from the psychiatrist.