Courts / Ireland / Report
Media appeal bar on identifying mother who smothered toddler
Summary
In July 2020, several media outlets appealed a High Court decision that barred them from naming a mother who smothered her three‑year‑old daughter with a pillow. The High Court judge had ordered that the deceased child not be identified, and the mother could not be named because that would identify the child. The mother had been found not guilty by reason of insanity in a trial last year. Prosecuting counsel had sought an order under Section 252 of the Children Act 2001 to prevent publication of anything that could identify the child. Justice Michael White granted the order, and the following day a lawyer for the media applied to Justice Carmel Stewart to set it aside. Justice Stewart upheld the restriction, citing the clear wording of Section 252. The media organisations—RTE, Independent News and Media, News Group Newspapers Ltd and The Irish Times—appealed to the Court of Appeal.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Media appeal bar on identifying mother who smothered toddler. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Not guilty by reason of insanity
When:
- 2020-07-15 Publication
Why: "If the question is, did the child die as the result of an offence, the answer is probably no, because the verdict was not guilty," he added. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Finding: Not guilty by reason of insanity
Outcome: Not guilty by reason of insanity
Places mentioned
- High Court
- Court of Appeal
Topics
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