West of Ireland mother in court for exposing daughter to abuse

A woman whose former husband subjected their young daughter from the age of three onwards to a litany of sexual abuse including rape on an almost daily basis pleaded guilty at a sitting of the Circuit Criminal Court today to cruelty to a child contrary to the Childrens’ Act 1908.

The offender, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty on an amended indictment before a jury at Castlebar Courthouse to two sample charges that she exposed her child to assault, ill-treatment and neglect in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to her health.

The mother’s ex-husband is currently serving an 18-year prison sentence for the offences which were committed at addresses in the west of Ireland between January 3, 1995, and December 31, 1995 and January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2000.

Garda Inspector Thomasina McHale, responding to prosecuting counsel Patricia McLaughlin S.C., told the court that the investigation into the victim’s mother was secondary to an extensive historical sexual abuse allegation involving the victim’s father.

Inspector McHale said the abuse against the victim between 1988 and 2001, when she was aged between three and 16, included touching her genitals, digital penetration, penetration with objects including vibrators, a candle and the handle of a hairbrush.

“It happened on a daily basis”, the officer stated.

“It happened in multiple rooms in the house, frequently in the bathroom, the sittingroom, her parents’ bedroom, her bedroom and in the car as well”.

Defence counsel Desmond Dockery S.C. told the court the accused was pleading guilty to two counts on a full facts basis of wilfully exposing a child to ill treatment in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury.

She was not pleading to sexual assault or physical ill treatment (of the victim) nor was she accused of that.

Counsel added that she was not pleading to having knowledge of the depth, extent and depravity and nature of the abuse committed although there were signs and reasons for her to suspect that her daughter had been subject to some inappropriate attention.

Ms. McLaughlin, prosecuting counsel, said it was not the prosecution case that the accused witnessed all of the actual acts that were happening but it was certainly the prosecution case that they (acts) were happening at such a frequency and in multiple rooms in the house on a daily basis that she certainly knew that something was happening to her daughter.

Remanding the accused on continuing bail, Judge Sinead McMullan put back sentencing until October for mention.

The judge acceded to a request from Mr. Dockery for psychological assessment for the accused as well a Probation Report “given the peculiar nature of the case”, in the words of the senior counsel.