Judge ‘heartbroken’ at mother’s neglect of daughter

A judge said his heart was broken on hearing “the very, very moving” account of what a child said about how her mother treated her.

Judge Patrick McCartan jailed the Lithuanian mother for two years after he heard how her alcohol addiction led to her neglecting her nine-year-old daughter, including leaving her at home alone for four days.

The 53-year-old woman, who cannot be named to protect the girl’s anonymity, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal court to child cruelty between October 10, 2012, and December 13, 2012.