The son of former Adelaide Crows coach Phil Walsh has been found not guilty of murder by reason of mental incompetence by the South Australian Supreme Court.
Phil Walsh was repeatedly stabbed in his Somerton Park home in Adelaide’s beachside eastern suburbs in the early hours of July 3, 2015. The 55-year-old was the head coach of the Adelaide Football Club at the time.
Cy Walsh, 27, was detained in a secure psychiatric facility after he was arrested and charged with murdering his father in July last year.
The ABC reports that Walsh pleaded not guilty to murder by reason of mental incompetence and at the last hearing the prosecution indicated it would accept that plea.
Justice Ann Bampton formally made a ruling that Cy Walsh was not guilty of murder by reason of mental incompetence.
She found the objective elements, or facts of the offending, proved. This means, says the ABC, that the court was satisfied Cy Walsh killed his father, but that he was not criminally responsible for his crime because of his mental state.
Adelaide Crows coach Phil Walsh. PHOTO: Getty
A victim impact statement was read to the court on behalf of Phil Walsh’s wife, Cy’s mother, Meredith Walsh.
“My heart remains broken. Our daughter is devastated by the loss of her father. Our son Cy is also shattered by what has happened, and has to live with the consequences of his illness, an illness that has destroyed our loving family.”
She also called for an overhaul of mental health privacy restrictions.
The tributes to Phil Walsh on game day. PHOTO: Getty
Under South Australian law Cy Walsh will be placed under a lifetime psychiatric supervision order.
The ABC says that most of the evidence in the case remains heavily suppressed and Justice Bampton is expected to review those suppression orders later today.
