Courts / Ireland / Report
Doctors 'gasped' when drapes pulled back on boy (4), murder trial hears
Summary
In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 6 November 2025, doctors described the injuries of a four‑year‑old boy alleged to have been murdered by his stepmother. Consultant paediatrician Dr Stephen O'Riordan testified that the boy had 17 bruises or injuries, including black eyes, bruises around both ears, and extensive bruising on the back of the head, all consistent with physical abuse or non‑accidental injury. He noted that the pattern of bruises, including different colours and ages, raised significant concern for intentional harm. A consultant intensive‑care doctor said the injuries would normally be associated with a severe crash or a fall from a very high height. The stepmother, a woman in her 30s, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The trial is proceeding before Mr Justice Paul McDermott with a jury of four women and eight men.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Doctors 'gasped' when drapes pulled back on boy (4), murder trial hears. Charges or matters: murder but guilty to the boy's manslaughter in March 2021. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- March 2021 Other
- March 13, 2021 Other
- 2025-11-06 Publication
Why: This was "significant", the doctor said, because it suggested the boy suffered trauma at a different time. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: murder but guilty to the boy's manslaughter in March 2021 (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.
Email a correction request