A former deputy mayor accused of murdering his mother and brother has told a judge he isn’t fit to stand trial, after two psychiatrists found he had a delusional disorder and believed he was the victim of a conspiracy.

Police allege that on October 30, 2018, Paul Cohrs shot dead his brother Raymond in the NSW town of Rufus and then crossed the Murray River and murdered their 82-year-old mother, Bette Schulz in Red Cliffs, near Mildura. Police claim he then returned to Rufus and shot himself in the chest when confronted by officers.

Paul Cohrs is accused of murdering his brother and mother.

Cohrs, 62, has pleaded not guilty to murdering his mother and is awaiting trial in Victoria, after which he would be extradited to NSW to face a murder charge over his brother’s death.

But there is no guarantee the one-time deputy mayor of Wentworth Shire in NSW would face a jury in Victoria, as the Supreme Court heard on Monday forensic psychiatrists Maria Triglia and Danny Sullivan had separately found him unfit to stand trial and diagnosed him with a delusional disorder.

The psychiatrists found while Cohrs understood the charge against him and knew he had to face trial, they said he wouldn’t be able to follow a contested hearing or understand the prosecution evidence against him. Sullivan also found Cohrs wouldn’t be able to instruct his lawyers.

Both psychiatrists found Cohrs’ belief that the justice system was corrupt meant he was convinced he could not get a fair trial.

The psychiatrists ruled Cohrs was currently not fit to stand trial, but that he could be within 12 months if he underwent mental health treatment and was prescribed anti-psychotic medication. He has been on remand in prison for at least three years.

Cohrs, who was allowed to sit at the bar table in court and question the psychiatrists as he represented himself, told Justice Lesley Taylor he agreed with their assessments and thought he was unfit to stand trial.

“I don’t believe I am,” he said.

He also doubted his position would change within a year, as “I have had these [conspiracy] beliefs for eight to 10 years” and while open to therapy and counselling, did not consent to taking what he called “mind-altering medication”.

Bette Schulz.

“I believe I will not change my beliefs,” he told Taylor.

The judge can find Cohrs fit to face trial; that he is unfit now but could be after treatment; or that he would have to face a special hearing if found unfit with no prospect of change.

Taylor reserved her decision but asked that authorities investigate whether there was a bed available for Cohrs at the Thomas Embling forensic mental health hospital.

Cohrs also reiterated his opposition to being appointed a lawyer from Victoria Legal Aid. He has told previous hearings he wanted a South Australian law firm to act for him, but his financial assets were frozen.

Raymond Cohrs.

The judge on Monday told him that if he was appointed a lawyer, it would have to be one from Victoria Legal Aid.

“It’s a Victorian lawyer or no lawyer,” Taylor said.

In Triglia’s assessment, she found Cohrs had “fixed beliefs” that he was the victim of a conspiracy and that family members wanted to harm him, but there was a “substantial chance” his mental state could improve with treatment.

Sullivan said the accused man believed relatives damaged his car, took money from him and killed a pet, and was convinced the prosecution evidence against him was false.

As the accused man questioned Sullivan, he told the psychiatrist “the evidence supports what I am saying”, and that he had “serious concerns” about anti-psychotic treatment.

Sullivan said he appreciated the accused man’s beliefs, but told him they were the hallmarks of his delusional state.

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