Courts / Dublin / Report
Father who said son's fatal injuries were caused by accidental fall admits to impeding murder prosecution
Summary
The 33‑year‑old man, whose name is withheld, was arraigned at the Central Criminal Court on 21 March 2024. He pleaded guilty to four charges that occurred in the southwest of the country in March 2021. He admitted that he reported his four‑year‑old son's fatal injuries as an accidental fall to a garda station on 24 March 2021, with the intent to impede the apprehension or prosecution of the person he believed had murdered the child. He also pleaded guilty to endangering the child on 13 March 2021 by placing him in a situation that posed a substantial risk of serious harm while he had authority over the child. Additionally, he pleaded guilty to wilfully causing or allowing the child to be assaulted between 6 and 12 March 2021, and to wilfully neglecting the child on 13 March 2021 by failing to provide adequate medical aid.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Father who said son's fatal injuries were caused by accidental fall admits to impeding murder prosecution. Charges or matters: four charges which took place in the southwest of the country three years ago; reporting the cause of his son's injuries as an accidental fall to a garda station in the southwest of the country, with intent to impede the apprehension or prosecution of another person, knowing or believing them to be guilty of murdering the child or some other arrestable offence, on March 24, 2021; intentionally or recklessly endangering the child, by causing or permitting him to be placed or left in a situation that created a substantial risk to him of being a victim of serious harm, while being a person who had authority or control over the child, on March 13, 2021; wilfully causing or procuring or allowing the child to be assaulted in a manner likely to cause him
When:
- March 24, 2021 Incident
- March 13, 2021 Incident
- March 6 Incident
- March 13 2021 Other
- May 1 Adjournment
- June 10 Adjournment
- 2024-03-21 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: four charges which took place in the southwest of the country three years ago; reporting the cause of his son's injuries as an accidental fall to a garda station in the southwest of the country, with intent to impede the apprehension or prosecution of another person, knowing or believing them to be guilty of murdering the child or some other arrestable offence, on March 24, 2021; intentionally or recklessly endangering the child, by causing or permitting him to be placed or left in a situation that created a substantial risk to him of being a victim of serious harm, while being a person who had authority or control over the child, on March 13, 2021; wilfully causing or procuring or allowing the child to be assaulted in a manner likely to cause him unnecessary suffering or injury to his health or seriously to affect his wellbeing, while being a person having custody, charge or care of the child, between March 6 and 12, 2021; wilfully neglecting the child in a manner likely to cause him unnecessary suffering or injury to his health or seriously to affect his wellbeing by failing to provide adequate medical aid to him, while being a person having custody, charge or care of the child, on March 13 2021 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Mr Justice McDermott said there was no basis not to proceed to sentence and remanded the man in custody until June 10, for a sentence hearing.; Brian McInerney SC with Maria Brosnan BL, defending, said the trial of his client's co-accused had been adjourned and no date had yet been fixed.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
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