Man and woman sent for trial over alleged murder of man's young son in Limerick

Woman charged with one count of murder and one count of child cruelty

Limerick District Court has imposed restrictions on naming the parties, including the victim, in order to protect the identities of other children. Picture: Dan Linehan

A man and a woman have been sent for trial on charges relating to the alleged murder of the man’s young son.

Limerick District Court has imposed restrictions on naming the parties, including the victim, in order to protect the identities of other children.

The court was informed at a previous hearing that prior to the order being imposed, all parties had been named locally, and were widely reported in national and local media.

At Limerick District Court on Tuesday, gardaí served the accused man and woman with copies of the State’s Books of Evidence and they were returned for trial to the current sittings of the Central Criminal Court.

The court gave each accused an “alibi warning”, informing them they had 14 days to furnish the State with details of any defence witnesses they may wish to call at their trial.

The woman, who has been in custody since her arrest last October, was remanded in continuing custody for her trial.

The victim’s father, who was also arrested and charged last October, was remanded on continuing bail.

The woman is charged with one count of murder and one count of child cruelty. She did not reply when charged by gardaí.

The man, who is accused of one count of assisting an offender, one count of child endangerment, and two counts of child cruelty, also did not reply when charged.

At Tuesday’s court hearing, the State agreed to vary the man’s bail conditions and it consented to reduce the number of times he must sign on at a Garda station from seven days a week to three days.

The victim was found with serious injuries at a house last year and he died in hospital three days later.

The victim’s mother has publicly called for the court to lift the order banning her and anyone else from naming her dead son, and the two accused.