Carrigaline manslaughter case 'sums up' Ireland's mental health crisis, says barrister
There seems to be no capacity from the Central Mental Hospital or from the National Forensic Mental Health Service," the judge said. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin
The unlawful killing of an elderly and unwell woman by her grandson in the family home could have been prevented with the appropriate psychiatric care, a Circuit Court judge said, as she sentenced him to five years with the last 18 months suspended for the manslaughter.
Judge Sinéad Behan said the mother of the defendant and daughter of the deceased had done everything in her power to get the appropriate psychiatric care for him.
“This is haunting in the context of what was to unfold – a loss of life. It could perhaps have been prevented if the necessary psychiatric intervention had occurred. It is a system failure.
39-year-old Brian Nnamdi Ogbo pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his grandmother at the family home in Carrigaline in February 2025.
Defence senior counsel Jane Hyland pointed to the lack of services available to the defendant and the unavailability of psychiatric reports to assist the court in sentencing.
“The Central Mental Hospital cannot give you a report. I cannot think of a case which more succinctly summarises the crisis in mental health services in Ireland. This case sums it up.
“He asked me to communicate to you how hard he is trying, how sad and how sorry he is that his conduct led to the loss of his grandmother, who he misses very much,” Ms Hyland said.
Judge Behan said she found it hugely regretful to have to proceed without a psychiatric report. "I have no option but to proceed… I would be engaging in preventative justice if I did not.”
The judge measured the sentence at nine years, mitigated to five years, with the last 18 months suspended on condition that he would engage with the community mental health team on his release, be compliant in relation to all prescribed medication, and to engage with the probation service.
He had no previous convictions and was described as a highly intelligent man from a Nigerian family of high achievers, but that he was regularly beaten by his father when he was a child.
Ms Hyland and Judge Behan both referred to the very supportive family standing by the accused.
In relation to the defendant’s mother, the defence senior counsel said: “The family already had a profound tragedy with the loss of her mother and they are anxious they would be spared a double tragedy with him being kept in custody with the complex mental health needs that he has.”
The prison sentence of three-and-a-half years was backdated to when he went into custody in February last year.
Ms Hyland said it was a tragedy for the family and also a tragedy for Mr Ogbo and investigating detective Garda Tom Delaney said he agreed.
Rather than presenting victim impact evidence, the mother and sister of the accused man presented references on his behalf, testifying to his high level of intelligence, sensitive nature, diagnosed schizophrenia and the care that he had shown for his grandmother, over many years.
Brian Nnamdi Ogbo has been in custody since he caused his 82-year-old grandmother’s death by dragging her down the stairs causing her to fall. Her condition later required hospitalisation and she died as a result of injuries sustained on February 23 2025 at the family home at Garrydhu Drive in Carrigaline.
Det Sergeant Simon Grace and Det Garda Delaney later questioned him. He stated:
He was asked how he dragged his grandmother down the stairs, and he said by the arm, he later clarified. “I can remember she was going face down, face first, down the stairs… I threw her across the room. She fell. She fell, head first on the floor. She was facing the ceiling. I dragged her by the hand down the stairs."
Dr Heidi Okkers, state pathologist, concluded that the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head as a result of being pulled down the stairs.
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