The prosecution is due to call a psychiatric expert to give evidence this morning in the trial of a man accused of murdering his girlfriend in Sligo.

Oisín Conroy, who’s from Boyle in Co Roscommon, has pleaded not guilty to Natalie McGuinness’ murder by reason of insanity.

Just before the prosecution called its first witness yesterday, Mr Justice Tony Hunt described the case as “unusual”. He told the jurors they weren’t being asked to consider the guilt of the accused in the usual way.

Oisín Conroy killed Natalie McGuinness, and that’s not being disputed, but he told them they’d have to decide whether he was criminally insane when he strangled her.

The court heard it happened on the morning of October 28th 2015 at Mr Conroy’s flat on Mail Coach Road in Sligo.

He told Gardaí and psychiatric experts he felt he had to kill her to get her out of the matrix.

One such expert, Dr Fiona Toal, was called to give evidence on behalf of the defence yesterday and she concluded he did fulfill the criteria required for the special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.

Ms Tara Burns will call her own expert on behalf of the prosecution when the trial resumes later this morning.