Case adjourned for month to see if man is fit to plead or not

A man found not guilty by reason of insanity of murdering his girlfriend in 2015 had another assault case on three prison officers adjourned to see if he is fit to plead or not at Sligo District Court.

Judge Deirdre Gearty adjourned the assault case regarding three prison officers until the end of May to see if the defendant is fit to plead or not.

Oisín Conroy (34) of St Joseph’s Terrace, Boyle, Co Roscommon is charged with assaulting three prison officers at Sligo General Hospital on October 29 th 2015.

Last July Conroy, who was in Sligo District Court on Thursday, was found not guilty by reason of insanity of murdering 23-year-old Natalie McGuinness from Easkey in Sligo on October 28th 2015.

Conroy, who is committed to the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum was in court on Thursday in Sligo.

Inspector Donal Sweeney told the judge this case was in relation to an assault on three prison officers on October 29 th 2015.

Judge Deirdre Gearty said if he was unfit on the other count it needed to be known if he was fit to plead in this case or not.

She indicated that it seemed a fitness to plead hearing had to be undertaken for the matter then to proceed accordingly.

She said she was going to put the matter back for a month and adjourned until May 31st for mention.

Conroy, who had travelled from the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum was told he did not need to be in court on that date.

Mr Gerard McGovern solicitor defended.