The Dublin Coroner's Court today ruled that convicted murderer Mark Nash will not have to appear at an inquest into the killing of two Dublin women five years ago.
Nash had refused to attend the inquest into the deaths of Ms Sylvia Shields and Ms Mary Callinan, who were stabbed to death in Grangegorman Psychiatric Hospital in March in 1997.
Nash claimed his constitutional rights might be compromised if he gave evidence to the inquest and that he feared for his safety.
The Dublin City Corner, Dr Brian Farrell, dismissed these concerns, insisting Nash would be entitled to the same "immunities and privileges" as if he were before the High Court.
However, Dr Farrell said that because of a number of defects in the law he was not able to invoke provisions under the current legislation that would compel Nash to appear.
He said he believed a submission to the High Court by the attorney general on behalf of the Coroner to have Nash appear at the inquest would be "unsuccessful". Dr Farrell blamed his decision on significant deficiencies in the law in relation to the Coroner which have not been addressed.
Nash is serving two life-sentences for the murder of Catherine and Carl Doyle in Roscommon in August of 1997.
When arrested in connection with these murders, Nash also confessed to murdering the two women in Grangegorman. However, he later withdrew this confession and has never been charged with the crime.
The women's bodies were discovered in their community care home attached to St Brendan's psychiatric hospital on March 7th, 1997.The joint inquest opened on March 31st, 1998, but its work has been severely delayed by over 20 adjournments due in part to Garda investigations. The inquest will resume hearing evidence on November 20th.
