Friends’ anger at jailing of mother

CLOSE friends of the family of a Roscommon mother jailed for abusing her six children have expressed anger that she has been sent to prison.

The 40-year-old woman, who pleaded guilty to neglecting her children, two counts of incest and two charges of sexual abuse, was last week given a seven-year jail sentence.

She is the first woman in the history of the state to be convicted of incest, but a close family friend said the woman herself was a victim and needed serious rehabilitation.

He said not only had the woman’s children been failed by the system, she had too.

“What that woman needs is treatment herself, not to be locked up. I am furious at the way this case has been handled.”

Another man said he was aware of the woman’s problems, and that it was “appalling” that she was in jail.

He said the woman had a “very tough childhood” and a serious drink problem.

He said he did not condone what she had done, but questioned if the prison system was right for this kind of case.

Paul Byrne, an addiction counsellor, expressed concern for what other prisoners might do to the woman.

Mr Byrne, who specialises in working with people who have been through the prison system, said it will be “very tough” for the woman.

“She may have to be isolated for her own safety. A lot of prisoners will have suffered abuse themselves and do not look kindly on an abuser — they could be out to get her because of the nature of her crime.”

Mr Byrne said while there was no justification for what the woman had done, he questioned if she had ever received help in her own life.

“It seems like there was a system failure. Did people around her not realise... she was not capable of looking after herself or the children?”

He said from looking at the case, it seemed probable the woman may have suffered some sort of abuse in her life.

“There will be some sort of programme for her in prison,” he said. “But it might be too late. Rehab now is like closing the gate after the horse has already bolted.”

A spokesman for the Irish Prison Service said the woman is under supervision at Mountjoy Women’s Prison, Dochas, but that she will have to integrate with the general population.

A spokesman for the Irish Penal Reform Trust said it is the responsibility of the prison services to provide protection if a prisoner requests it.

“It is too early to tell what this woman’s need will be, but the services available to her are certainly better in Dochas than in older prisons.”