Saturday 31 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 18062Child cruelty · Co. Dublin

Man jailed for child cruelty after ignoring daughter's pleas with dead mother

A 45-year-old man was jailed for child cruelty after his daughter's mother lay dead in their Dublin apartment for up to four days during a lockdown in 2020, while the man sat on the couch intoxicated and ignored the child's pleas for help. The mother died of acute alcohol intoxication, and the child had been trying to care for her body, going to school and the shop on her own. The man pleaded guilty to two charges of child cruelty in 2020. In March 2024, Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced him to three years in prison, suspending the final 20 months.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced4 Mar
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • A mother lay dead in a Dublin apartment for up to four days during a lockdown, found facedown on the sitting room floor with a blanket over her.
  • The 45-year-old man was sitting on the couch, so intoxicated he could not comprehend what was occurring, while his daughter tried to care for her dead mother.
  • The child had given her mother blankets, pillows and soup over the previous few days, organised herself to go to school on two days, and had been unable to wash herself due to no hot water.
Cause
The mother died of inhalation of the contents of her stomach due to acute alcohol intoxication.
Charges
The man pleaded guilty to two charges of child cruelty in 2020.
In court
The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Martin Nolan, prosecuted by Lisa Dempsey BL and defended by Mark Lynam SC.
Sentence
In March 2024, the judge imposed a three-year sentence and suspended the final 20 months.
Other details
  • The man has no previous convictions, is now sober, and no longer has care of his daughter.
  • The child suffered long term psychological trauma and reporting restrictions apply to protect her identity.
  • The maximum sentence for the offences is seven years imprisonment.
18 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe mother lay dead in the apartment for up to four days during a lockdown. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe mother was found facedown on the ground in the sitting room with a blanket over her. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe man was sitting on the couch and so intoxicated he could not comprehend what was occurring. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe apartment was found in disarray with clothes, food, rubbish and alcoholic drinks everywhere. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe child had given her mother blankets, pillows and soup over the previous few days. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe child had not logged onto homeschooling during lockdown and organised herself to go to school on two days while her mother lay on the floor. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe child had been unable to wash herself as there was no hot water and had been going to the shop to fend for herself. (thejournal.ie)
  • causeThe mother died of inhalation of the contents of her stomach due to acute alcohol intoxication. (thejournal.ie)
  • chargeThe man pleaded guilty to two charges of child cruelty on dates in 2020. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Martin Nolan. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe case was prosecuted by Lisa Dempsey BL and defended by Mark Lynam SC. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge imposed a three-year sentence and suspended the final 20 months. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherThe maximum sentence for the offences is seven years imprisonment. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherThe man has no previous convictions. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherThe child suffered long term psychological trauma and was doing well in care but having residual difficulties. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherReporting restrictions apply to protect the identity of the child. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherThe man is now sober and no longer has care of his daughter. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherThe family had a support worker they could have turned to earlier in the year. (thejournal.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 4 Mar2024
    Sentencedthejournal.ie, first report
    Alcoholic who ignored his child's pleas for help with dead mother is jailed

    Reports the sentencing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, including details of the neglect, the mother's cause of death, the child's condition, and the judge's reasoning for imposing a custodial sentence.

    convicted, 45, malevictim, 11, femalevictim, female