Carthy 'wanted to die' - doctor

Mr John Carthy was trying to commit "suicide by cop" when he left his home carrying a loaded gun, but would have been unlikely to shoot at gardaí, a psychiatrist has told the tribunal.

Dr Douglas Turkington, a consultant psychiatrist based in Newcastle in England, said he believed Mr Carthy "wanted to end his life by being shot by the police", and shooting gardaí "was not his objective" when he left his house in Abbeylara, Co Longford, on April 20th, 2000.

Dr Turkington is the first psychiatrist to support the theory put forward by former FBI negotiator Mr Frederick J Lanceley that Mr Carthy had committed "suicide by cop" when he was shot dead by the gardaí.

The day before the siege began Mr Carthy had told his neighbour Ms Alice Farrell that "the party is over", and there would be "no more gardaí" coming to the house. This was "a clear indication of suicidal intent", Dr Turkington said.

During the siege Mr Carthy had stood in front of a window and called on gardaí to shoot him.

"It is difficult to see such a clear statement in any other way than suicidal intent," said Dr Turkington.

The tribunal chairman, Mr Justice Barr, asked if it might not have been "bravado". Dr Turkington said normal bravado would have been to threaten to shoot the gardaí, and not the other way around.

Mr Carthy escalated the situation by walking out of the house and opening his gun to remove a cartridge, demonstrating, Dr Turkington said, that he had "one very accurate shot" left in his weapon.

Mr Carthy did not make a "kamikaze" attack on the police, but walked slowly and purposefully up the road. "I don't think his objective was to kill gardaí. He could have done it if he wanted to, but it was not his objective," Dr Turkington said.

The Garda negotiator should have been able to recognise the different basic mental disorders to deal with disturbed people, he said, but he should also have had the benefit of professional psychiatric advice at the scene. "Having the consultant psychiatrist there who knew the person would be extremely important for advising the negotiator on what tack to take."

Dr Turkington said he had treated five patients who had made failed "suicide by cop" attempts.