Psychiatric report for Lifford man who assaulted young woman delayed

A LIFFORD man, who is currently in custody after pleading guilty to assaulting a woman, has condemned the delay in acquiring a psychiatric report into his case.

Addressing Letterkenny Circuit Court via video link from Castlerea Prison, Seamus Cooley insisted that the delay lay at the hands of the State and wasn’t his fault.

The accused is charged with assaulting Shanan Reid-McDaid at Castle Street, Letterkenny, on October 15, 2017.

Cooley, of 6a St. Jude’s Court, Lifford, had pleaded guilty in July to the charge but had, according to Judge John Aylmer, displayed a “flagrant disregard” for bail conditions that had been set.

He was subsequently refused bail by Judge Roderick Maguire at a separate Circuit Court sitting and remanded in custody.

At the outset of the latest sitting of Letterkenny Circuit Court, Judge Alymer heard that a psychiatric report was still outstanding in the case and a date could not be obtained for an assessment of the accused until December.

Defence counsel, Senan Crawford, B.L. consequently sought an adjournment in the case.

The court was told that the injured party had travelled from Australia for the case prompting Judge Aylmer to describe it as unfortunate. But he maintained a delay was unavoidable.

Intervening on the video link, the accused insisted: “If the report is not ready, it’s not my fault.”

After Judge Aylmer indicated that everything was being done as quickly as possibly, Cooley remarked: “That’s not my fault – it’s the State’s fault.”

The case was adjourned.