A defence barrister has urged the jury in the trial of a Kilkenny man accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend to return a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.

Shane Smyth of McGuinness House, Evans Lane admits killing Mairead Moran, but claims he was suffering from deep-seated delusions brought about by paranoid schizophrenia.

On the date of the attack, May 8, 2014, Shane Smyth was convinced that Mairead Moran worked for a company that kidnapped him and stole a vile of his blood.

The 29-year-old has been in the Central Mental Hospital since his arrest, and while he admits stabbing her to death at the Market Cross Shopping Centre, he has raised the defence of not guilty by reason of insanity.

During his trial, both sides called mental health experts who agreed that at the time of the attack, he was not capable of forming the necessary criminal intent for murder.

In urging the jurors to return the special verdict, Mr Smyth’s barrister said it was in the public interest and would not belittle the memory of Mairead Moran.

Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan then told them an acquittal under this particular defence would not result in Mr Smyth being returned back to the community and that the court would have to decide the best course of action.

The jury will soon be sent out to begin deliberations.