A CONSULTANT orthopaedic surgeon, who allegedly assaulted three people and caused over €40,000 worth of damage at a hotel in Limerick City, was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
A jury of six men and six women took 27 minutes to return unanimous verdicts on all charges following a three-day trial at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court.
Evidence given by forensic consultant psychiatrists for both the prosecution and the defence heard that the accused, Dr Emmett Cullen, who specialised in hip replacement surgeries, was in the throes of a psychotic episode while a guest at the hotel on May 4, 2023.
The defence argued that Dr Cullen (50), of Silverbrook, Mill Road, Corbally, was not aware of what he was doing, nor was he able to refrain from his manic behaviour at the time, due to suffering a psychotic episode.
Dr Cullen had a prior diagnosis of bipolar affective type one, the court heard, and was subdued on the night by armed Gardaí discharging a taser and pepper spray, the court heard.
The accused returned to work on a part-time basis nine months afterwards, after he entered remission from the illness.
Dr Cullen was before the court charged with one count of causing criminal damage, three counts of assault causing harm, and one count of using a fire extinguisher as a weapon.
It was accepted that the hotel’s CCTV footage showed Dr Cullen, armed with two fire extinguishers, thrashing the lobby, bar, and restaurant and kitchen area, and discharging the content of the fire extinguishers around the hotel.
The prosecution also alleged Dr Cullen assaulted two female hotel guests in their 70s by smashing glass with one of the fire extinguishers, causing cuts to their hands, and that he struck a male guest with a fire extinguisher.
Prosecuting barrister John O’Sullivan, instructed by State Solicitor for Limerick City, Padraig Mawe, told the jury that the fact that Dr Cullen paid the hotel €49,000 in compensation was “an admission” of having caused the damage.
The court heard that, when interviewed by Gardaí under caution and asked if he understood why he was detained for questioning, Dr Cullen told Gardaí: “Yeah, acting the bollox up the road, unavoidable, because I had to find my children.”
“There was nothing bolted to the ground in that place, I proved it,” the accused told Gardaí.
The father of two, who was booked into the hotel alone for two nights, also told Gardaí: “45 people were coming at me, running towards me, kids with red eyes, I had no choice”.
In Garda custody, Dr Cullen refused to be assessed by his GP and believed an interview room at Henry Street Garda Station, where he was being questioned, was his “office”.
While in custody following his arrest, Dr Cullen told Gardaí: “I don’t recall hitting anybody, but I’ll pay for the damages.”
When Gardaí later put it to him that guests had been injured, he replied: “I don’t remember it, but if I did, I do accept full responsibility for what I did.”
Testimony given by two forensic psychiatrists called by the prosecution and the defence was that Dr Cullen was more than likely suffering from “hallucinations”, “paranoid delusions”, and “loss of contact with reality” associated with his prior diagnosis.
The court heard that, prior to the night in question, the hip surgeon had a number of times attended inpatient psychiatric services after suffering manic episodes, including a period when he stopped taking his medication after he developed a slight tremor in his hands as a side effect of taking prescribed medicine.
Mr O’Sullivan told the jury it was “clear” from the evidence that Dr Cullen committed the offences before the court.
Dr Cullen’s barrister, Aaron Desmond BL, told the jury it was not disputed that the accused committed the offences, but argued that Dr Cullen was suffering from a mental health episode at the time and, therefore, he should not be held criminally responsible for his actions on the night.
After unanimous verdicts were returned on all five charges, Judge Daly thanked the jury for their time and excused them from jury service for the next three years.
– Court Reporting Scheme