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The news that rocked the nation when Adelaide Crows coach, Phil Walsh, was stabbed to death by his own son.

Cy Walsh was found not guilty of murder due to mental incompetence. He was found to be suffering from schizophrenia when he stabbed his father more than 20 times in July last year, the SA Supreme Court heard.

Phil Walsh, former Adelaide Crows coach, was repeatedly stabbed in his Somerton Park home in Adelaide’s beachside eastern suburbs in the early hours of July 3, 2015.

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.

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.

Court documents obtained by the ABC revealed Cy Walsh had a complex history of drug use — including South American hallucinogen Ayahuasca — and psychotic delusions and had a fractured relationship with his father.

Statements from those closest to the Walsh family revealed a troubled relationship between Phil Walsh and his son.

Some have spoken of Cy’s jealousy of his father’s relationship with AFL players and his feelings of neglect.

Share your comments below.

Image via ABC news

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  • Too easy these days to claim insanity. Why didn’t they seek help before?

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  • Not guilty? I am not sure I agree with this verdict. :-(

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  • Still brings a tear to my eye when I read of this story. A tragedy for the whole family. I hope Cy gets the help he needs. We need to do more to support and help families suffering from the effects of mental health within their family. Help is needed more than condemnation.

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  • I am so tired of murderers, rapists, abusers getting off because of drug addiction or mental illness or because they had a rough childhood. Seems to be behind a lot of crimes lately

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  • From memory Meredith witnessed Cy stabbing Phil. Phil woke up just as Cy started stabbing him. From memory Phil was making arrangements to spend less time at football and devote more time to his son and family. Prior to the Crows, Phil and previously coached football teams in SA.
    Hopefull Cy will be institutuionalised to receive the treatment and rehabilitation he desperately needs.

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  • I feel so sorry for this family – mother and daughter still have to live with the consequences as does the son. Drugs are such an insidious part of life these days.

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  • It would be so hard for that family

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  • My thoughts and prayers go out to all members of this grieving & struggling family.
    Glad Cy was found not guilty but doesn’t make it easier to live with what he has done.
    I can understand why mother called for an overhaul of mental health privacy restrictions.

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  • The courts may rule not guilty, but he will have to live with what he did.

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  • devastating for the family to lose a father to murder and a son to mental illness, but to lose the father by the son is just unthinkable

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  • It must be so difficult having a family member with a mental health issue. And then to have someone murdered, how devastating!

    Reply

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