'Suicide by cop' not an option for Carthy

Mr John Carthy was not trying to commit "suicide by cop" when he left his house carrying a loaded gun at the end of the Abbeylara siege, a psychiatrist has told the Barr tribunal.

Dr John Sheehan, a consultant psychiatrist at the Mater Hospital in Dublin, who had not treated Mr Carthy, said he did not believe the 27-year-old was suicidal at any time during the 25-hour siege and was "oblivious" to the dangers of walking towards armed gardaí carrying a loaded gun.

Dr Sheehan said he could not support the view, given in evidence to the tribunal by former FBI negotiator, Mr Fredrick J Lanceley, that Mr Carthy was trying to commit suicide by cop, because it did not take into account Mr Carthy's mental illness.

Mr Carthy suffered from bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic depression. The condition is characterised by periods of depression and periods of mania or elation.

Mr Carthy was showing the "typical and classic signs" of the manic phase of his illness during the siege, and this made it extremely unlikely that he was suicidal, Dr Sheehan said.

"I do not think Mr Carthy's behaviour leaving the house was consistent with suicidal intent. His behaviour was consistent with an elated or manic mood. Suicide is extremely rare in the context of mania and he was extremely unlikely to be suicidal at that time."

Suicidal thoughts were common with the depressed phase of the illness, Dr Sheehan said, and he believed Mr Lanceley was "mixing up" mania and depression.

"The glaring problem with suicide by cop is it's failure to take into account Mr Carthy's mental state," said Dr Sheehan.

Some 80 per cent of people who commit suicide let someone know their intent, while 50 per cent express it directly.

Mr Carthy had expressed the opposite, telling a friend he "hadn't a notion" of harming himself, Dr Sheehan said

His calls for the gardaí to shoot him were "bravado" consistent with mania as opposed to an instruction.