Case No. 0818Attempted murder · Co. Limerick · 27 Sep 2022
Russian mother jailed for nine years for attempted murder of daughter in Limerick
On 27 September 2022, a 49-year-old Russian woman in Limerick locked their bedroom door and stabbed her eight-year-old daughter more than 70 times with a kitchen knife and strangled her with a phone cable, causing life-changing injuries. The girl is now living in foster care. The woman, who has bipolar affective disorder, denied the attempted murder charge before the Central Criminal Court sitting in Limerick, and the jury rejected her insanity defence. On 15 June 2026, Judge Kerida Naidoo sentenced her to nine years in prison, having reduced a headline sentence of 18½ years to 12 years on account of her mental health and suspended the final three years.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced15 Jun
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- A 49-year-old Russian woman was jailed for nine years for attempting to murder her eight-year-old daughter.
- The daughter was stabbed more than 70 times with a kitchen knife and strangled with a phone cable, causing life-changing injuries.
- The mother locked their bedroom door and pushed a kitchen knife through the girl's chest while neighbours made frantic efforts to reach her.
- The daughter is now living in foster care.
- The defendant has bipolar affective disorder, with four hospital admissions between 2009 and 2017, and her mental health issues re-emerged in September 2022 shortly before the attack.
- After the attack the defendant was found slumped on the ground with blood on her clothing, marginally conscious, and attempted suicide; she was not deemed medically fit to be interviewed by gardaí until about six months later.
- When
- The attack occurred on 27 September 2022.
- Where
- The incident took place in Limerick.
- Weapon
- A kitchen knife and a phone cable used as a ligature were used in the attack.
- In court
- The defendant denied the attempted murder charge before the Central Criminal Court sitting in Limerick, and the jury rejected the insanity defence.
- Sentence
- Judge Kerida Naidoo set a headline sentence of 18½ years, reduced it to 12 years due to the defendant's bipolar affective disorder, and suspended the final three years, resulting in a nine-year custodial sentence backdated to March 2023.
- Other details
- The judge said the woman developed an irrational belief before the attack that her daughter would be taken from her, and that they had a good relationship before her mental health deteriorated.
20 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe woman was jailed for nine years for attempting to murder her daughter. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe daughter was stabbed more than 70 times. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe daughter was eight years old at the time of the attack. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe daughter is now living in foster care. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe mother locked their bedroom door and pushed a kitchen knife through the girl's chest. (irishtimes.com)
- whatNeighbours made frantic efforts to reach the girl during the attack. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe defendant is a Russian national. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe attack involved a knife and a cable ligature, causing life-changing injuries. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe defendant had four admissions to hospital between 2009 and 2017. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe defendant received a diagnosis of bipolar affective disorder. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe defendant was found slumped on the ground with blood on her clothing, marginally conscious. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe woman attempted suicide after the attack. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe woman was not deemed medically fit to be interviewed by gardaí until about six months after the incident. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe attack occurred on 27 September 2022. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe defendant's mental health issues began to re-emerge in September 2022, shortly before the attack. (irishtimes.com)
- weaponThe daughter was strangled with a phone cable. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe sentencing took place at the Central Criminal Court on Monday. (irishtimes.com)
- courtJudge Kerida Naidoo delivered the sentence. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe defendant denied the charge before the Central Criminal Court sitting in Limerick. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe jury rejected the insanity defence. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 15 Jun2026Mother jailed for nine years over attempted murder of daughter
Sentencing report. The judge set a headline sentence of 18½ years, reduced it to 12 years due to the defendant's bipolar affective disorder, and suspended the final three years, resulting in a nine-year custodial sentence backdated to March 2023.
victim, 8, femaleconvicted, 49, female, Russian, non-irish