Belfast court: Baby murder accused 'not motivated by revenge'

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, accepts she stabbed the children but denies the charges

A psychiatrist has told a court that she does not believe a mother who stabbed her two children, killing one of them, was motivated by revenge.

Instead, she said she believed the defendant was suffering from moderate to severe depression and was not acting rationally.

The defendant admits stabbing both children in their home in Belfast in July 2021.

But she denies charges of murder and attempted murder.

Belfast Crown Court heard that after the woman - who cannot be named to protect the identity of her surviving child - stabbed the children, she made five phone calls, including one to the children's father, before phoning the emergency services for help.

'Disturbed state of mind'

Prosecuting counsel put it to the psychiatrist giving evidence that this suggested the defendant's actions that day were motivated by a desire to take revenge on her partner.

"The baby was still warm, the child still alive, why would she devote her time at that moment trying to contact (her partner) and/or his family? Is she seeking to take revenge on him?"

The psychiatrist said: "I don't accept that."

She added: "I think the problem is trying to put rational thinking into someone in that situation.

"I think she was depressed at the time and when someone is depressed and in a disturbed state of mind, they don't think or act rationally."

The expert said that in most cases where revenge was the motivation, the perpetrator was the father.

"Almost exclusively men do it. I don't know the frequency of women doing it. But it is rare."

Toys and flowers were left at the scene of the incident in 2021

After being arrested on suspicion of murdering her son and attempting to murder her daughter, the court heard the accused told another medical professional: "He destroyed my life so I destroyed his".

Addressing the witness, prosecuting counsel said: "I suggest to you these words are a clear indication that she wanted revenge and she got it. She took it by killing the little baby and attempting to kill her daughter."

The psychiatrist replied: "I don't accept that interpretation of it."

The psychiatrist's assessment of the severity of the defendant's depression was also challenged.

Prosecuting counsel asked: "Is there any other psychiatrist who has agreed with your analysis that this lady was suffering from severe depression at the time?"

She said: "My impression was moderate to severe, all the psychiatrists thought she was depressed, not all have given a category of severity."

The hearing continues.