Mother accused of trying to murder daughter weeps as she hears of wait for mental hospital bed

The court heard that “remand in prison has been very distressing for her” and it is now 71 days since she has been charged

The woman's solicitor said that another problem she has in the case is that her client has an application for bail before the High Court but for the High Court to release her client on bail, it requires a report from the Central Mental Hospital. File picture

The 46-year-old mother accused of attempting to murder her eight-year-old daughter is awaiting a bed at the Central Mental Hospital where she is due to undergo a forensic psychiatric assessment.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, the woman appeared for the fifth time in court in connection with being charged with attempting to murder her daughter on September 27 last year at temporary accommodation in Clare the two were staying at.

The accused requires the services of a Russian language interpreter for the court hearings and after the interpreter told her the content of the exchanges between Judge Alec Gabbett and the woman’s solicitor, Tara Godfrey in her case, the woman broke down and cried.

After Judge Gabbett was able to see the woman weeping via video link from the women’s wing at Limerick Prison, Ms Godfrey told Judge Gabbett “remand in prison has been very distressing for her”. Judge Gabbett told the court that the accused is awaiting a bed at the Central Mental Hospital under Section 15 of the Criminal Law Insanity Act.

Ms Godfrey said that her client is still waiting on the Book of Evidence in the case and it is now 71 days since she has been charged. Ms Godfrey said that the Book of Evidence is required for a proper forensic psychiatric assessment at the time of the commission of the alleged offence to be carried out on her client.

The woman's solicitor said that there “is an urgency” attached to the case. She said that another problem she has in the case is that her client has an application for bail before the High Court but for the High Court to release her client on bail, it requires a report from the Central Mental Hospital.

Sgt Aiden Lonergan told the court that the case is being given "the highest priority”. Sgt Lonergan said that medical reports in the case have been received but have to be put in a statement format for the Book of Evidence.

Case background

The court previously extended the accused woman’s legal aid certificate to cover a forensic psychiatric report after Ms Godfrey stated that her client “had been in psychiatric in-patient treatment from September up to the date she was brought to the Garda Station, so we have a chain of custody of my client since the alleged event”.

In the aftermath of the alleged attempted murder last September, the young girl’s condition was described as “critical” after she was allegedly stabbed multiple times at her accommodation. After the girl subsequently underwent emergency surgery at Crumlin Children’s Hospital in Dublin, a Garda spokesman said that she was “out of danger”.

The accused was first arrested and brought to Ennis Garda Station for questioning on March 14 and brought before a special sitting of Ennis District Court the following day when she was charged. The accused made ‘no reply’ after charge and caution.

Judge Gabbett remanded the woman in custody via video-link to appear again at Ennis District Court to June 14.