A man who was suffering from an acute psychotic episode and thought he was the 'King of Ireland' when he breached a court order which banned him from visiting Ireland for 20 years has entered a guilty plea.

BY OLIVIA KELLEHER

In June 2022 at Cork Circuit Criminal Court Matthew Notman of Laburnam House, Kirby in Nottingham in the UK was convicted of harassing a woman.

He was ordered not to communicate directly or indirectly with the woman who was living in West Cork.

He was also ordered not to enter this country for two decades.

Notman breached the order when he communicated with the woman on Facebook Messenger on November 13th and 14th 2024.

He had made his way by ferry to Ireland from the UK on November 10th, 2024.

Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard that his mental health had deteriorated to the point where he thought he was returning to make the woman 'the Queen of Ireland.'

He also believed that he had 'royal blood' and was the King of this country.

Det Garda Martin Bohane said that Notman was intercepted by gardai in West Cork.

He was assessed by a medical practitioner and hospitalised.

He spent a period of about a year in the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) and was deemed unfit to plead.

Dr Dearbhla Duffy, a consultant forensic psychiatrist at the CMH, stated that following treatment Notman was now fit to plead. He was arraigned and entered a guilty plea.

Defence barrister, Paula McCarthy, said that her client was from a supportive family who had travelled from the UK in the aftermath of his hospitalisation in this country.

She said that Notman was anxious to return to the UK.

The plan is for him to engage with treatment services in his native country having responded well to treatment and medication here.

McCarthy said that a backdated prison sentence with the balance of it suspended would enable her client to avail of psychiatric treatment back home in the UK.

Judge Helen Boyle expressed concern about what would happen if Notman ever breached the order again.

'Can he be stopped from exiting the airport? (In Ireland) I have obvious concerns about what was a clear breach of a court order. That is a problem.'

Det Garda Bohane told the judge that a warning would be placed on the system in relation to Notman which would lead to his immediate arrest on arrival at ports or airports in this country.

The judge said that needed time to consider her sentence.

She remanded Notman in custody to the Midlands Prison until May 20th next when the case will be finalised at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Notman, who is in his thirties, has a long history of severe mental health difficulties.

He has a diagnosis of schizophrenia affective disorder and bipolar affective disorder.