A 19-year-old man accused of murdering a Japanese man will face trial later this year after being found fit to plead by a judge at the Central Criminal Court.
Mohamed Morei (19) has been in custody at the Central Mental Hospital since early 2018.
Sean Gillane SC for the Director of Public Prosecutions told Mr Justice Alex Owens on Wednesday that doctors had noted progress in his condition and said that he was now able to understand the nature of the charge against him, the evidence and the procedure relating to his plea.
He said special arrangements had been suggested by psychiatrists for his trial to take account of his condition, which Mr Gillane said was continuing to improve.
The defendant attended the hearing with the help of an Arabic interpreter.
Mr Morei was charged on January 4th last year with the murder of Yosuke Sasaki (24) on January 3rd, 2018 at Long Avenue, in Dundalk, Co Louth. He was subsequently unable to attend court hearings due to his condition.
On Wednesday Mr Justice Owens made an order under Section 4 of the Criminal Law Insanity Act 2006, sending him forward for trial. His trial is due to begin on December 9th this year.
In addition to murder, Mr Morei faces five other offences – assault causing harm to two named men at the Inner Relief Road and on Quay Street, in Dundalk on January 3rd, criminal damage to a car rear window at the Long Avenue on the same date and trespass with intent to cause criminal damage at a property.
The final charge was for obstruction of gardaí at Dundalk station.