Ireland Crime

Named as

Victim

Offences

Murder

Where

Co. Donegal

Reporting

6 reports, 1 Mar 2026 to 27 Mar 2026

Outlets

donegallive.ie, thejournal.ie

• Donegal man found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity Murder · Co. Donegal

  Derek Mulligan, 39, with an address at Carrickcoyle, Derrybeg, Donegal, is accused of killing his grandfather Derek Burns, 78, by beating him with a granite stone and a cement block outside his home. Burns was found unconscious on 17 December 2023 and died at Letterkenny University Hospital on 19 December. Mulligan was arrested in December 2023, charged in March 2024, and stood trial at the Central Criminal Court in March 2026, pleading not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder and four related charges. On 27 March 2026, a jury returned majority verdicts of not guilty by reason of insanity on all five counts, and the judge committed Mulligan to the Central Mental Hospital.

  Acquitted, 1 Mar 2026Victim · 6 reports

Each entry shows how that report described them.

1. 27 Mar2026
   Acquitteddonegallive.ie, in Donegal man found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity

   Donegal man found not guilty of murdering grandfather by reason of insanity

   victim, Catherine McDermott, female, irish (judged from name)Catherine McDermott♀IE
2. 27 Mar2026
   In courtdonegallive.ie, in Donegal man found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity

   'Humane society' seeks not to punish those unwell, defence reminds murder trial jury

   victim, Catherine McDermott, irish (judged from name)Catherine McDermottIE
3. 26 Mar2026
   In courtdonegallive.ie, in Donegal man found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity

   Murder accused told doctors paedophile's release from prison caused him to ‘spiral’

   victim, Catherine McDermott, female, irish (judged from name)Catherine McDermott♀IE
4. 24 Mar2026
   In courtdonegallive.ie, in Donegal man found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity

   Central Criminal Court hears Donegal man "smacked" stone off grandfather's head

   victim, Catherine McDermott, female, irish (judged from name)Catherine McDermott♀IE
5. 23 Mar2026
   In courtdonegallive.ie, in Donegal man found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity

   Donegal man (39) pleads not guilty by reason of insanity to murdering grandfather

   victim, Catherine McDermott, irish (judged from name)Catherine McDermottIE
6. 1 Mar2026
   Acquittedthejournal.ie, in Donegal man found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity

   Man who used cement block to beat grandfather to death found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity

   victim, Catherine McDermott, female, irish (judged from name)Catherine McDermott♀IE

Matched on the name as printed, ignoring quoted nicknames, and split by the ages reported. Two people who share a name and age would appear together here.