Ireland Woman on trial for attempted murder of daughter told insanity not a defence
A Russian woman on trial for the attempted murder of her 8-year-old daughter at a temporary accommodation centre in September 2022 heard a forensic psychiatrist tell the court that insanity could not be used as a defence, after the girl sustained more than 70 stab wounds. The accused, who fled Ukraine with her daughter in March 2022, denies the charge and her barrister argued the jury could consider a not-guilty-by-reason-of-insanity verdict based on a conflicting expert opinion.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court15 Jan
4 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports38 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe girl sustained 79 stab wounds to her chest, back, arms and legs (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe mother and daughter fled to Ireland from Ukraine in March 2022 (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe accused stabbed the girl multiple times with a knife and tried to choke her (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe accused wrongly believed child protection services were going to take her daughter away (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe accused grabbed a knife from a kitchen at the accommodation centre and attacked her sleeping daughter (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe accused tried to strangle the girl with a mobile phone charger and a flex lead from a hair dryer (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe accused brought the girl to an en suite bathroom where she continued stabbing and choking her (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe girl was bleeding into the shower drain when gardaí arrived (irishmirror.ie)
- whatDoctors at University Hospital Limerick performed an emergency life-saving procedure on the girl (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe girl was bleeding out into the shower drain when gardai arrived. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe girl sustained more than 70 stab wounds to her chest, back, arms and legs. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
- whatThe girl survived after gardai and paramedics kept her from bleeding out. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe girl would have certainly died had it not been for intervention of doctors at University Hospital Limerick. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe accused told gardai she stabbed the girl multiple times with a kitchen knife and had tried to strangle her. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe accused confirmed a knife seized from the scene was the knife she used to stab her daughter. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe victim is an 8-year-old girl. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe accused told gardaí she stabbed the girl multiple times with a kitchen knife and tried to strangle her. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe accused allegedly concealed the knife and locked the door to the room where the attack occurred. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe attack took place at a temporary accommodation centre in County Clare (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe attack took place at a temporary accommodation centre in Co. Clare. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe stabbing occurred at a temporary accommodation centre in County Clare on 22 September 2022. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe incident occurred on 22 September 2022 (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe attack occurred on 22 September 2022. (irishtimes.com)
- weaponThe accused stabbed the girl with a sharp knife. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeThe accused has denied one count of attempted murder (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeThe woman is on trial for allegedly attempting to murder her daughter. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeThe woman is on trial for the attempted murder of her daughter. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe trial is taking place at Limerick Courthouse on Mulgrave Street (irishmirror.ie)
- courtForensic consultant psychiatrist Dr Paul O'Connell of the Central Mental Hospital testified that the accused did not know what she was doing was wrong due to a mental disorder. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe trial is before a jury of seven men and five women at Limerick Courthouse. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe trial continues the following Tuesday. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
- otherThe accused had a history of psychotic episodes in Russia where she was previously an inpatient (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe accused had a history of psychiatric episodes in Russia where she was previously an inpatient in mental health services. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe accused was taken from the scene by ambulance to hospital for a suspected overdose of prescribed drugs. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherIn March 2022, the accused and her daughter fled the war in Ukraine to Ireland. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe accused spent several months in psychiatric services after the incident. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe accused and her daughter fled the war in Ukraine to Ireland in March 2022. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe accused said she had become paranoid that Tusla would take her daughter from her. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 16 Jan2026Woman weeps as doctor tells court insanity not a defence for near-fatal attack on daughter
Reports on a court hearing where UK forensic psychiatrist Dr Richard Church told the court that the insanity defence was not applicable, differing from Dr Paul O'Connell's view. The accused wept in court and a short recess was taken. The trial continues the following Tuesday.
victim, 8, femaleaccused, female, non-irish (judged from name) - 16 Jan2026Mother weeps in court as jury hears she was sane in stabbing of 8-year-old
Reports prosecution psychiatric evidence at the trial; Dr Richard Church told the jury the insanity defence was not applicable, while defence psychiatrist Dr O'Connell maintained the accused did not know what she was doing was wrong. The trial continues the following Tuesday.
victim, 8, femaleaccused, female, non-irish (judged from name) - 16 Jan2026Court told mum was suffering mental disorder as she stabbed and choked daughter
Reports on defence psychiatric evidence given at the ongoing trial, including the forensic psychiatrist's opinion that the accused was suffering from nihilistic and deluded thoughts, and the defence's argument for not guilty by reason of insanity.
victim, 8, female, non-irish (judged from name)accused, female, non-irish (judged from name) - 15 Jan2026Mother stabbed daughter 79 times during 'psychiatric episode', court told
Trial evidence from defence psychiatric expert Dr Paul O'Connell and the accused's statements to gardaí; defence arguing not guilty by reason of insanity; trial ongoing.
victim, 8, female, non-irish (judged from name)accused, female, non-irish (judged from name)