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10/06/2008
Former Bus Driver Found Not Guilty Of Killing Woman During Rampage
A former bus driver standing trial of a destructive rampage leading to the death of a pensioner has been found not guilty by verdict of insanity.
The Jury acquitted Peter Clarke, 38, a former City of London policeman, after evidence from a Central Mental Hospital Director revealed Clarke was suffering from “paranoid schizophrenia”.
The court heard how Clarke, who is a patient at the Central Mental Hospital, had taken a bus without the permission of his employer, before engaging in what the prosecution described as "an odyssey of destruction" leading to the death of 62 year-old Ms Marie Buckley.
Clarke faced 28 charges in total, including damaging up to 25 vehicles, some of them unmarked gardaí cars, in the Bluebell and Naas Road areas of Dublin, and threatening the gardaí who arrested him. Clarke was also in possession of a knife and an axe when he was arrested.
The court was told during the incident Clarke believed gardaí were trying to kill him.
Dr Patricia Casey said he had been taking oral medication for his condition "erratically" in the months before his rampage and told her he felt very upset. He said he remembered seeing flashing lights as he drove the coach and thought gardaí were trying to assassinate him because he knew too much about British security.
Previously, the trail had heard how Clarke had ploughed into traffic as he tried to escape gardaí. Ms Buckley had tried to escape her car as the bus approached but had become stuck after pushing her daughter from the vehicle before the bus collided and dragged it for a distance.
(DW/KMcA)
The Jury acquitted Peter Clarke, 38, a former City of London policeman, after evidence from a Central Mental Hospital Director revealed Clarke was suffering from “paranoid schizophrenia”.
The court heard how Clarke, who is a patient at the Central Mental Hospital, had taken a bus without the permission of his employer, before engaging in what the prosecution described as "an odyssey of destruction" leading to the death of 62 year-old Ms Marie Buckley.
Clarke faced 28 charges in total, including damaging up to 25 vehicles, some of them unmarked gardaí cars, in the Bluebell and Naas Road areas of Dublin, and threatening the gardaí who arrested him. Clarke was also in possession of a knife and an axe when he was arrested.
The court was told during the incident Clarke believed gardaí were trying to kill him.
Dr Patricia Casey said he had been taking oral medication for his condition "erratically" in the months before his rampage and told her he felt very upset. He said he remembered seeing flashing lights as he drove the coach and thought gardaí were trying to assassinate him because he knew too much about British security.
Previously, the trail had heard how Clarke had ploughed into traffic as he tried to escape gardaí. Ms Buckley had tried to escape her car as the bus approached but had become stuck after pushing her daughter from the vehicle before the bus collided and dragged it for a distance.
(DW/KMcA)
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Ireland WeatherThis Evening and Tonight:A fine end to the day with some sunshine, then clear spells overnight. Low cloud could form around some Irish Sea coasts later in the night, or a few fog patches in prone spots.. Minimum temperature 9 °C.
