‘I didn’t know what a mum was supposed to be’

Mother who beat and neglected seven children to be sentenced next week as court hears of their anger

The sentencing of a 39-year-old mother who beat and neglected seven of her children over a five-year period has been adjourned until Monday, following a lengthy sentence hearing at Galway Circuit Criminal Court yesterday.

The woman, who cannot be named in order to protect the identity of the children, who are now aged between 5 and 19, had pleaded not guilty during a nine-day trial at Galway Circuit Criminal Court in January to 42 charges of child cruelty and neglect at six locations on dates between September 1, 2006, and May 12, 2011.