The man accused of murdering a young Donegal mother of two told a psychiatrist he bought her a car for Christmas but later set fire to it.
Richard Burke told the Central Criminal Court he set Jasmine McMonagle’s car on fire after she would not agree to a reconciliation.
Burke is accused of murdering his former partner at her home at Killygordon.
He told Dr Anthony Kearns, a now retired forensic psychiatrist who formerly worked at the Central Mental Hospital, that he had never held down a job and had experienced a period of homelessness after he dropped out of college when he became addicted to cannabis and headshop drugs.
The trial also heard Burke held a number of persistent delusional beliefs that Ms McMonagle had been unfaithful and had given drugs to her children.
The court heard these beliefs were completely false and had no basis in reality.
The Central Criminal Court, sitting in Monaghan, today heard evidence from two psychiatrists who both agree that Mr Burke was suffering from a mental disorder at the time of the killing which substantially diminished his responsibility.
For full story see https://www.rte.ie/news/2023/0322/1365749-jasmine-mcmonagle/
