A 22-year-old Mayo man denied killing his mother because she had destroyed his drugs, but said he did it because he was delusional.
A Central Criminal Court jury was hearing details of garda interviews conducted with Celyn Eadon the day after his mother was found dead almost three years ago.
Mr Eadon (aged 22) of Derrycrieve, Islandeady, Castlebar admits the manslaughter of his mother, Noreen Kelly.
However, he has pleaded not guilty to her murder at that address on March 9, 2011. The 46-year-old died of multiple stab wounds.
Detective Garda Róisín Loftus testified today that she interviewed the accused the day after the killing.
He had already told gardaí that someone had taken his ‘speed’ from his bedroom in the hours before his mother was stabbed.
He was shown packaging taken from a fireplace in the family home. The court heard that forensic scientists found methamphetamine in the charred remains inside the packaging.
“That’s where it went so. I didn’t know that,” he said.
He was asked who he thought had put it in the fire.
“Maybe my mother. I didn’t know that,” he replied.
It was later put to him that he had stabbed his mother because she had found and destroyed his drugs.
“I didn’t know that,” he replied. “I killed my mother because I was delusional.”
In an earlier interview, he had been asked what drugs he had taken in the day leading to his mother’s killing. He said he had taken prescription medication and a few lines of speed.
“I think someone took my prescription and replaced it with bad stuff, poison,” he said.
The trial previously heard that Mr Eadon was taken to hospital following his arrest on March 9.
His urine tested positive for amphetamine, methamphetamine and marijuana, and that a diagnosis was given of acute psychotic episode secondary to polysubstance abuse.
The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Carney and a jury of seven men and five women.