A 32-year-old man with schizophrenia has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for trying to kill his mother.

The court heard his mother was lucky to be alive after being stabbed numerous times in Cork in 2021.

This is a somewhat unusual case in that the accused man Geroid Coughlan of Ballycoughlan in Inishannon opted to plead guilty to attempted murder, instead of using an insanity defence.

Coughlan has schizophrenia and is being held in the Central Mental Hospital; with his plea he hoped to receive a definite period in jail, instead of an indefinite time in hospital.

The court heard he does not accept his mental health disorder, has failed to take his medication in the past and thinks cannabis is beneficial for his condition.

In June 2021, he repeatedly stabbed his mother at her home; she suffered catastrophic injuries and her life was saved by margins.

Judge Paul McDermott said the mother’s victim impact statement reflected the complexities of her being the victim of a crime but also her deep concerns of a mother for her son and her desire that his problems be addressed in a meaningful way.

Main image: Special Criminal Courts.