A man has today pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to murdering a mother and attempting to murder her daughter in Dublin over two years ago.

James Redmond (aged 60) with an address at Killinarden Estate, Tallaght, Dublin 24 is charged with murdering Mary Dargan and attempting to murder Karina Dargan at their home in Killinarden Estate on March 15, 2014.

This morning at the Central Criminal Court a jury of seven men and five women was sworn in for the trial, which is expected to last two to three days.

Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy asked prosecution counsel Ms Pauline Walley SC to give the jury panel some brief information about the case as it was an “unusual” one.

Ms Walley said: “The alleged offences relate to neighbours. The Dargan family and the Redmond family lived side by side for many years.”

The court heard that the people involved in this case are members of “large families” from the Killinarden Estate in Tallaght.

The trial will start at 2pm today before Mr Justice Robert Eagar.