A resident at a psychiatric hospital in Waterford says she witnessed a fellow resident being repeatedly stabbed by the man accused of murder.

Paul Cuddihy, who was also a resident of St. Otteran’s at the time, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Maria O’Brien by reason of insanity.

On September 5, 2014, staff nurse Mary Grant said she gave Paul Cuddihy some anti-psychotic medication at around 5pm.

The court heard he has a history of paranoid schizophrenia.

She said she later took a call to say he was attacking Maria O’Brien in one of the on-site houses for residents.

When she went into the kitchen, she said she saw him standing over her with a knife in his hand. She said she was on the floor covered in blood.

Terry Hayes, the hospital’s Assistant Director of Nursing, said he was physically assaulted by the accused when he went up to the house.

An armed Garda later accompanied him back up the unit where they found Maria O’Brien slumped on the ground in an alcove near the staircase. She had been stabbed more than 100 times.

Paul Cuddihy denies murdering her by reason of insanity.

He is also charged with causing serious harm to Breda Fennelly and with assault causing harm to Mary Grant, Terry Hayes, and fellow resident Mary Nugent.