A NEWNHAM man has been found not guilty, on the grounds of insanity, of murdering his mother in April last year.
William John Christopher McFardzean Foran, 53, kept his head bowed and cried quietly, as he had for most of the five-day trial, when the verdict was read out.
Yesterday, what's been described as an unusual and tragic case ended with Mr Foran taken to a secure mental health facility where he will undergo psychiatric assessment.
During the trial the jury heard that the former Microsoft executive killed Margaret Foran, 77, in their shared Newnham unit during an acute psychotic episode. It heard from two forensic psychiatrists, whose evidence had not been contradicted, that Mr Foran was unable to tell right from wrong when he carried out the act.
The jury was also told that the prosecution wasn't seeking a guilty verdict but had joined the defence in asking that Mr Foran be found not guilty because of mental illness.
In Tasmania, there is no alternative to placing an accused on trial if that person is pleading not guilty by way of insanity and has been deemed fit to plead.
That remains the case even if the prosecution agrees the defendant is not criminally culpable.
``Our law doesn't make allowances for it,'' Mr Foran's defence counsel Tamara Jago said following the trial.
The jury delivered its verdict in less than 1 1/2 hours.
Members of the Foran family, who had sat through the entire trial, appeared relieved at the verdict.
Justice Helen Wood requested a report detailing victim impact statements and requested Attorney-General Brian Wightman to deliver a report containing the views of Mr Foran's family.
Mr Foran will be brought back the Supreme Court in Launceston for further orders in June.
Ms Jago said this was to ensure he did not become lost in the system.
