Courts / Limerick / Report

Mother who claimed she was 'out of her mind' when she tried to murder daughter (8) gets nine years

Date
2026-06-15
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Limerick
County
Limerick

Summary

A mother who attempted to murder her eight-year-old daughter by strangling her with a phone cable and stabbing her more than 70 times has been jailed for nine years. The mother, a 49-year-old Russian national, claimed she was "out of her mind" when she attacked her daughter. The child, who is now in foster care, described the "tormenting" pain of the attack in her victim impact statement. The court heard that the mother had a history of mental health issues, including bipolar affective disorder and recurrent depressive disorder. She had previously been hospitalized for mental health treatment and had attempted suicide. The jury found her guilty of attempted murder, and the judge noted that her mental health significantly contributed to her actions. The mother was sentenced to 12 years, but the final three years were suspended, resulting in a nine-year custodial sentence. The victim impact statement highlighted the lasting emotional and physical trauma the child endured, including scars and nightmares.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Mother who claimed she was 'out of her mind' when she tried to murder daughter (8) gets nine years. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Why: The judge said the overall evidence was the absence of pre-meditation and that there was no evidence of a motive unrelated to the defendant's mental state. CNI source report

Places mentioned

Court Venue
  • Central Criminal Court
Secondary Mention

Topics

Stage Sentence Violent Crime

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

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