Courts / Mayo / Report
Courts hears dozens of secret recordings of parents abusing their children
Summary
At Castlebar Circuit Court, two parents have admitted to multiple counts of child cruelty following an investigation into the abuse of their six children. The case emerged after two teenagers walked into a garda station in the west of Ireland to report ongoing physical and emotional abuse. Over 188 secret audio recordings made by one of the young complainants were presented to the court, with extracts depicting instances of striking and verbal abuse directed at children as young as one year old. The defendants, a man in his fifties and a woman in her forties, changed their pleas to guilty after their trial commenced in May. The father pleaded guilty to four sample counts while the mother admitted two counts from a total of thirteen charges on the indictment. Evidence heard during sentencing proceedings this week included a recording of a 999 call made following an alleged serious assault on the eldest son. All six children were subsequently placed in emergency care. Sentencing is scheduled for Friday at Castlebar Circuit Court.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Courts hears dozens of secret recordings of parents abusing their children. Charges or matters: four sample counts of cruelty, while his wife admitted two counts of cruelty to their children out of a total of 13 counts on the indictment. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- January 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
- October 2021 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2025-12-16 Publication
Why: The only reason we have to fucking put up with you is because you fucking live in the house," he was heard saying in one recording. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: four sample counts of cruelty, while his wife admitted two counts of cruelty to their children out of a total of 13 counts on the indictment (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Their parents will be sentenced this Friday at Castlebar Circuit Court, after they admitted to multiple offences of child cruelty committed between January 2018 and October 2021.; Judge McMullan adjourned the case for finalisation this Friday.
Places mentioned
- Castlebar
- Castlebar Circuit Court
Topics
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