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Ellen Gough, 21 Mar
A FATHER who reported his four-year old son's fatal injuries as having
been caused by "an accidental fall" has admitted to charges of
endangerment, neglect and impeding the apprehension of the person who
he knew or believed to have murdered the child.
The 33-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was
arraigned before the Central Criminal Court today, where he pleaded
guilty to four charges which took place in the southwest of the country
three years ago.
The man pleaded guilty to reporting the cause of his son's injuries as
an accidental fall to a garda station in the southwest of the country,
with intent to impede the apprehension or prosecution of another
person, knowing or believing them to be guilty of murdering the child
or some other arrestable offence, on March 24 2021.
He also pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly endangering the
child, by causing or permitting him to be placed or left in a situation
that created a substantial risk to him of being a victim of serious
harm, while being a person who had authority or control over the child,
on March 13 2021.
The defendant further pleaded guilty to wilfully causing or procuring
or allowing the child to be assaulted in a manner likely to cause him
unnecessary suffering or injury to his health or seriously to affect
his wellbeing, while being a person having custody, charge or care of
the child, between March 6 and 12, 2021.
In addition, the man also pleaded guilty to wilfully neglecting the
child in a manner likely to cause him unnecessary suffering or injury
to his health or seriously to affect his wellbeing by failing to
provide adequate medical aid to him, while being a person having
custody, charge or care of the child, on March 13 2021.
The child was found with serious injuries at a house in the southwest
of the country on March 13, 2021. He died three days later in hospital
in Dublin.
READ MORE: Man jailed in Clare for four and a half years for 'repeated'
sexual assaults on his wife
Aoife O'Leary BL, prosecuting, told Mr Justice Paul McDermott today
that a nolle prosequi will be entered on count six (meaning the State
will not be proceeding with a third count of child cruelty) on the
indictment and that she would be asking the court to take count eight
(a fourth count of child cruelty) into account in due course.
Brian McInerney SC with Maria Brosnan BL, defending, said the trial of
his client's co-accused had been adjourned and no date had yet been
fixed.
Ms O'Leary informed the court that the trial of the defendant's
co-accused is listed for May 1 in circumstances where the defence are
seeking a psychiatric report.
Mr Justice McDermott said there was no basis not to proceed to sentence
and remanded the man in custody until June 10, for a sentence hearing.
He also directed the preparation of a victim impact report.