This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-26386802

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Aloysius Hackett murder trial: Son 'felt excited and powerful' Aloysius Hackett murder trial: Son's reason for killing a 'cover-up'
(about 2 hours later)
A County Tyrone teenager said he felt excited and powerful at the time he killed his father, a court has heard. A County Tyrone teenager told a psychiatrist that his belief in killing one of his parents so that they would become his guardian in heaven was a cover-up and excuse, a court has heard.
Sean Hackett, 19, denies murdering his father Aloysius at the family home in Augher in January 2013. Sean Hackett, 19, is accused of murdering his father Aloysius at the family home in Augher in January 2013.
Dungannon Crown Court heard about conflicting reports on whether he was suffering from an abnormality of mind at the time of the killing. He has admitted the killing but denies murder.
There was also a difference of opinion on whether that met the test of diminished responsibility. Three months before shooting dead his father, Mr Hackett had tried to strangle his mother Eilish.
The jury also heard that on the day of the killing Sean Hackett exercised self-control four or five times in deciding whether to kill one of his parents. His trial at Dungannon Crown Court was told that experts disagree whether he was suffering an abnormality of mind that met the test of diminished responsibility that would absolve him of murder.
There was also evidence of extensive deliberate planning and rational decision making. The court heard that he told psychiatrist Dr Fred Brown: "I tried to believe that my mother would be in heaven. These thoughts felt like a good cover-up. I didn't really believe that."
Under cross-examination, Dr Philip Pollock, a consultant forensic clinical psychologist, agreed Sean Hackett had told him: "I nearly made myself believe that. I needed to do it."
Depression
But Dr Pollock said the word "cover-up" bothered him and it could be a question of interpretation and semantics.
He said that Mr Hackett had exercised self-control four or five times on the day he shot his father, when he decided not to take the opportunity to kill one of his parents.
He said Mr Hackett had then "revved himself up" to shoot his father, and had told him: "I felt excited I was going to do it. It felt powerful."
Dr Pollock did not believe that he felt pleasure or enjoyment in carrying out the killing, but rather relief and release that his depression would be resolved, and his world changed forever.
Although Sean Hackett had demonstrated rational decision-making and self-control, Dr Pollock argued the motivation behind the killing was driven by an irrational belief that they would become his guardian in heaven.
Mr Hackett has always admitted killing his father, but denies murdering him or possessing the hunting rifle used in the fatal shooting.Mr Hackett has always admitted killing his father, but denies murdering him or possessing the hunting rifle used in the fatal shooting.
The trial is expected to last up to two weeks.The trial is expected to last up to two weeks.