Carndonagh man appears in court charged with the murder of his parents

A 42 year-old county Donegal man was charged with murdering his elderly parents, at special sitting of Ballyshannon district court last night.
Julian Cuddihy, Churchtown, Carndonagh was charged with murdering Jimmy Cuddihy (77) and Kathleen Cuddihy (73) at their home in Churchtown Carndonagh on or about October 22.
The couple was found dead at their home in Carndonagh on Thursday morning, shortly before 9 am.
The defendant was brought into Ballyshannon district court at 9.05 pm last night and was accompanied by seven gardai.
He was dressed in a maroon tracksuit top black trousers and black trainers.
The 42 year-old spoke briefly with his solicitor Ray Lannon before he was charged, and stared straight ahead for most of the proceedings.
Detective Garda Bernard Mullins told the court he arrested he defendant at 5pm at Buncrana Station yesterday.
When he put the first murder charge to Julian Cuddihy, the latter replied; “I have no response.
And when the second murder charge was put to the defendant he said;
“ I am not signing that”.
Inspector Denis Joyce asked that the defendant be remanded in custody.
Defence solicitor Ray Lannon, Michael D White Solicitors, Carndonagh asked that the defendant get immediate psychiatric assessment while in prison in Castlerea, county Roscommon.
He handed in a letter from a doctor in support of his application.
Judge Kevin Kilrane said that Cuddihy had been assessed medically on October 15 and the assessment was that he needed no further assessment.
The judge said there was no diagnosis of psychiatric illness.
Judge Kilrane said he was granting the application for the defendant to be psychiatrically assessed in prison.
The defendant was remanded in custody to appear at a special sitting of Letterkenny district court on October 29.
Judge Kilrane also granted an application for legal aid from Mr Lannon to Mr Philip White.