Proinsias de Rossa's son found not guilty of assaulting him
The son of former Labour MEP Proinsias de Rossa has today been found not guilty of an assault on his father, by reason of insanity.
Fearghal de Rossa (aged 46) was suffering from a mental disorder when he carried out the frenzied attack at the home they shared on the Old Finglas Road in Dublin on November 11 last.
In a witness statement, Proinsias de Rossa told the court that during the attack he believed his son was going to kill him.
The jury heard Fearghal de Rossa was suffering at the time from a psychotic illness with persistent delusions that his father was colluding with gardaí who were persecuting him.
Psychiatrist Prof Patricia Casey said he had more or less discontinued with his medication and was drinking heavily at the time.
None of the evidence was contested and the jury returned a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity as provided for by the Criminal Law Insanity Act 2010.
He will now be held at the Central Mental Hospital.
The court heard the case was brought because the former Labour MEP thought he had no other option to get his son to submit to proper psychiatric treatment.
