A man accused of spreading defamatory messages on the Internet is of high intelligence and is fit to stand trial, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has been told.
Consultant psychiatrist Dr Art O'Connor told the jury that Mr Anthony Luckwill (25), of Monastery Walk, Clondalkin, was fit to stand trial.
The jury also heard a clinical psychologist say Mr Luckwill was of high intelligence.
Dr Ivor Shortts, who is attached to the Central Mental Hospital, told Ms Una Ni Raifeartaigh, prosecuting, that Mr Luckwill presented very well when he carried out IQ tests on him on September 22nd last. Mr Luckwill showed great interest in the tests and in the result and obviously wanted to do well. Dr Shortts said there were 11 sub-tests within the overall test dealing with different intellectual abilities.
These sub-tests included verbal ability, on which Mr Luckwill scored above high average range.
Another psychiatrist, Dr Colm McGonagle, said Mr Luckwill suffered from a rare condition called Asberger's Syndrome which meant that he was unable to act appropriately in social situations and was unfit to stand trial.
Dr McGonagle said the accused has an obsession with Land Rovers and brought up the subject on the most inappropriate situations. When Mr Luckwill was a child he discovered a magnet in the shape of a fish and spent weeks finding out what it would stick to. "Most of us go through fads, but this was quite exceptional," he said.
Dr McGonagle said some people such as Gay Byrne and Marian Finucane showed very high social intelligence. They could enter any situation and know what was appropriate to say.
In the case of Mr Luckwill, he frequently talked when it was inappropriate and concentrated on only a small part of what was being said. During psychological assessments, Mr Luckwill would break into conversations about Land Rovers when being asked about a completely different subject.
He had shouted and cursed at teachers in school and had a very poor understanding of what was appropriate behaviour.
The jury was told that Mr Luckwill had made oral complaints to the Garda about another man as well as writing several letters about him on the Internet, of which he had a very high technical understanding.
The trial continues before Judge Frank O'Donnell.