Belfast: Woman jailed for murdering baby has convictions quashed

Belfast: Woman jailed for murdering baby has convictions quashed

The Court of Appeal has decided to overturn the convictions of a mother who was previously found guilty of murdering her eight-week-old son and attempting to kill his toddler sister. Although she admitted to stabbing the children, she denied the charges brought against her. Senior judges concluded on Friday that the guilty verdicts handed down in July 2021 were unsafe.

Because of legal restrictions, no additional information about the reasons for the court’s ruling can be disclosed at this time. Both prosecution and defense teams continue to disagree over the possibility of a new trial. The woman had received a sentence of at least 20 years in June 2023 after a jury at Belfast Crown Court found her guilty.

Her son was pronounced dead following their admission to the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, where her daughter was successfully treated. The guilty verdict for murder had been reached by a majority, while the jury was unanimous in finding her guilty of attempting to kill her two-year-old child. Following the trial, her legal representatives challenged the verdict, citing concerns related to the trial procedure.

Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan, sitting in the Court of Appeal, supported the challenge, stating she “cannot be satisfied that the convictions are safe.” The woman remains in custody as the court continues to seek clarity on whether a retrial will be held

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