A woman whose convictions for murdering her eight-week-old son and attempting to kill his toddler sister were overturned has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for infanticide and attempted murder following a retrial.
The woman stabbed both children in July 2021, and they were rushed to the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children. Her two-year-old daughter survived after emergency treatment, but her baby boy was pronounced dead. She was originally convicted and sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in 2023, but the Court of Appeal ruled on 5 December 2025 that those convictions were unsafe. She pleaded guilty to infanticide and attempted murder on 13 August 2026 after a retrial was ordered in March 2026.
Infanticide is legally defined as the unlawful killing of a child under 12 months old by its biological mother when the mother's mind was disturbed at the time of the act.
What was the mother's mental state at the time?
Medical experts established that the woman was experiencing postnatal depression when she carried out the stabbings. Mr Justice Fowler, sentencing at Laganside Court in Belfast on Tuesday, noted that diary entries revealed she was overwhelmed by feelings of rejection, abandonment and emotional despair. Several medical reports indicated she believed she had no alternative but to end her own life and that of her children.
The court also heard that her relationship with the father of her children was marked by domestic abuse, sexual abuse and coercive control. She harboured fears that her partner or associates might harm her. When questioned by police immediately after the incident, she disclosed her depression to officers. When asked about mental health issues, she stated:
Considering what I have done, I probably do. When asked directly about depression, she responded:
Depression? 100% I cry too much.
The judge concluded he was satisfied that she was suffering from mild to moderate depression, probably leaning towards the moderate range, and that this impacted her judgment at the time.
What impact has this had on the surviving child?
The surviving daughter, now in foster care, has experienced catastrophic and lifelong consequences from the incident. The court heard that the stabbing occurred during a critical period of her development, leaving her with feelings of abandonment, rejection and loss. Although she is described as happy and settled in her current placement, she remains hypervigilant and sensitive to environmental changes.
Following indirect contact with her mother, the child experiences significant difficulties, including nighttime disturbances where she expresses fear of the dark and anxiety about her mother. These psychological effects are expected to persist throughout her life.
What were the sentencing considerations?
The judge acknowledged that the woman had expressed remorse for her actions and recognised her as a victim of modern-day slavery. He characterised the offending as an isolated incident. However, he emphasised that it represented a serious breach of trust and that the level of harm caused was substantial.
The woman was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, with half of the sentence to be served on licence. Due to time already served, she is expected to be released to begin her five-year licence period. Conditions imposed include a prohibition on contact with anyone under 18 years of age and a requirement to attend all necessary medical appointments.
What is the legal background to this case?
The original 2023 conviction carried a minimum sentence of 20 years after a Belfast Crown Court jury found her guilty of murder and attempted murder. However, the Court of Appeal determined that those guilty verdicts were unreliable and unsafe, leading to the conviction quash and retrial order. The infanticide charge, which carries a lower maximum sentence of 14 years, reflects the legal recognition of the mother's disturbed mental state at the time of the offence, distinguishing it from a murder conviction.
Key Facts
- The woman stabbed her eight-week-old son and two-year-old daughter in July 2021; the boy died and the girl survived
- Her original 2023 murder conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal in December 2025 as unsafe
- She pleaded guilty to infanticide and attempted murder in August 2026 following the retrial order
- She was sentenced to 10 years with half on licence, meaning she will serve approximately five years in custody
- Medical evidence established she was experiencing postnatal depression and was a victim of domestic abuse at the time
