The jury in the trial of a Clare man accused of murdering his 17-year-old sister will return to the Central Criminal Court in Dublin on Monday to consider its verdict.
Patrick O'Dwyer (21), Shrohill, Ennistymon, Co Clare, has pleaded not guilty to murdering his sister Marguerite at the family home on November 29th, 2004.
In his charge to the jury, Mr Justice Paul Carney said the real "battle ground" of the case was whether Mr O'Dwyer, who was then aged 19, was suffering from a mental disorder at the time of the killing.
In closing for the prosecution, John Edwards SC, told the jury it did not matter that the prosecution called one medical expert when the defence called three.
He said just because experts believed something did not mean it was right and that the jurors had to assess the evidence for themselves.
He also said that apart from a diagnosis of mental illness, the prosecution and defence experts were "all saying the same thing". "That this was a misdirected suicidal attempt," he explained.
He asked the jury to consider whether that was "triggered by a mental disorder" or "by the realisation that he had made an utter fool of himself in front of his peer group".
In closing for the defence, Patrick Gageby SC said the actions of Mr O'Dwyer on the night of the killing "could not be the product of someone in the fullness of their mind".
"Have you ever heard of anyone trying to kill themselves by hitting themselves on the head with a hammer?" he asked.