A woman who initially faced murder charges for killing her eight-week-old son and attempting to kill his toddler sister in July 2021 has been sentenced to ten years in prison after pleading guilty to infanticide and attempted murder. Senior judges overturned her original convictions in December 2025 due to new evidence showing she was experiencing postnatal depression and domestic abuse at the time of the incident. The court heard that her mental health issues significantly impaired her judgment, though they acknowledged the high level of harm caused and noted her remorse.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-16,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
A woman whose convictions for killing her eight-week-old son and attempting to kill his toddler sister were overturned by senior judges in December 2025, has been resentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to infanticide and attempted murder. The original incident occurred in July 2021 when the woman stabbed both children at their home; while the girl survived treatment at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, her baby brother was pronounced dead. In March of this year, following a retrial order by the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice Fowler noted that she had expressed remorse and mentioned her previous experience as a victim of modern-day slavery. He also highlighted expert medical reports indicating she suffered from postnatal depression at the time of the stabbing. Despite acknowledging her mental health struggles, he emphasized that her actions constituted a serious breach of trust with high-level harm inflicted on her children.
Written for “Murder Trial Sentencing” on 2026-09-17,
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No political leaning scored for article 10839 · logged 2026-09-16
- Published
A woman, whose convictions for the murder of her baby son and attempted murder of his toddler sister were quashed, has been sentenced to 10 years for infanticide and attempted murder.
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convictions → publish → infanticide
The woman stabbed both children in July 2021 and they were taken to the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.
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they → stab → Children
The girl was successfully treated but the baby boy was pronounced dead.
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boy → treat → ?
The woman was convicted and jailed in 2023 for murdering her eight-week-old son and attempting to murder his toddler sister.
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woman → convict → sister
In December 2025, senior judges in the Court of Appeal ruled those convictions were unsafe.
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convictions → rule → Appeal
In March of this year, the court ordered a retrial.
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court → order → retrial
In August, the woman, whose identity is protected by an anonymity order, pleaded guilty to infanticide and attempted murder.
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identity → protect → infanticide
Infanticide is legally defined as the unlawful killing of a child aged under 12 months, by its biological mother, when at the time the "balance of the mother's mind was disturbed".
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balance → define → mind
Experiencing postnatal depression
On Tuesday, Mr Justice Fowler referred to expert medical reports detailing that at the time of the stabbings the woman was experiencing postnatal depression.
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woman → experience → depression
The court also heard that her relationship with the father of her children was "characterised by domestic abuse, sexual abuse and coercive control".
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relationship → hear → abuse
She feared that her partner or people associated with him might kill her.
uncertain
partner → fear → her
The judge said diary entries by her suggest she was "overwhelmed by feelings of rejection, abandonment and emotional despair".
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she → say → rejection
Several medical reports said she felt in her circumstances that she had no alternative but to end her life and that of her children.
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she → say → children
A statement relating to the woman's surviving daughter detailed the "catastrophic impact" on her explaining that it would be lifelong.
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it → relate → her
The court heard the incident happened at a crucial time in the child's development and she experienced "abandonment, rejection and loss".
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she → hear → abandonment
The young girl is now in foster care and was described as happy and settled but it was reported that she remains hyper vigilant and sensitive to changes in her environment.
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she → describe → environment
Following indirect contact with her mother the court heard that the child experiences "significant difficulties" and can wake at night and say "she is scared of the dark and mummy".
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she → follow → dark
The judge referenced the woman's admissions to police in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
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judge → reference → incident
She indicated to them that she was suffering from depression, when asked if she had mental health issues she told police: "Considering what I have done, I probably do".
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I → indicate → what
When asked if she was depressed, she responded: "Depression?
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she → ask → Depression
100% I cry too much."
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I → cry → ?
The judge said he was "satisfied that she was suffering from mild to moderate depression.
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she → say → depression
He agreed that her judgement was impacted.
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judgement → agree → ?
He noted she had expressed remorse, was a victim of modern-day slavery, and said the offending was an isolated incident but also said it represented a serious breach of trust and that the level of harm done was high.
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level → note → harm
She was sentenced to 10 years, half on licence.
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She → sentence → licence
Due to time served she is set to be released to start her five-year-period on licence.
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she → serve → licence
Conditions imposed include that she is not to have any contact with anyone under 18 years of age and must attend any necessary medical appointments.
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she → impose → appointments
The Aporia
