A judge yesterday expressed concern about the need for proper psychiatric care when he sentenced a Dublin man, already serving a life sentence for stabbing his ex-girlfriend to death, to a separate three-year term yesterday for seriously injuring her mother on the same date.
Last November, a jury in the Central Criminal Court convicted Declan Burke (29), with an address on the South Circular Road, Dublin, of the murder of Ms Jennifer Wilkinson (24), at her home in the Rise, Boden Park, Ballyboden, Dublin, on December 13th, 2000.
He was also convicted of assault causing serious harm to her mother, Ms Mary Wilkinson (57), on the same date.
Burke claimed to have and temporarily lost control of his mind due to past systematic sexual and physical abuse at the hands of his father, a convicted child-abuser.
He was treated in the psychiatric unit at St James's Hospital months before the stabbings and his trial heard he had tried to commit suicide "around 50 or 60 times" in his life.
A psychologist, Ms Grace O'Malley, said his past sexual abuse had led to post-traumatic stress disorder, and that he suffered flashbacks and hypertension, or bouts of uncontrollable anger.
Yesterday, Mr Justice White repeated his regret that he had had no discretion last November but to impose a mandatory life sentence for the murder of Jennifer Wilkinson.
He said he was "acutely conscious" and "truly distressed" by what Burke had suffered at the hands of his father and had no doubt that Burke had been "scarred for life".
He said he was also "disturbed" by the content of a probation report which noted "that there will be access to but a limited psychiatric service" for Burke.
Mr Justice White said that although he had no powers in the matter, he would "direct" or "recommend" that as far as possible, all psychiatric services be available to Burke in the future.
He sentenced Burke to three years to run concurrent with the life sentence. He also backdated the sentence to December 14th, 2000.