Mother poured washing liquid in sons’ mouths

Two boys have told a jury their mother made them swallow washing-up liquid, while one claimed she pushed him down the stairs twice and then lied to hospital staff about his injuries.

The 39-year-old mother, who cannot be named in order to protect the identity of eight of her children, has pleaded not guilty at her trial before Galway Circuit Criminal Court to 44 charges of child cruelty on dates between September 1, 2006, and May 12, 2011.

All eight children were taken into care in May 2011 and have been with different forster parents ever since.