Mother jailed for daughter abuse

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A County Antrim woman found guilty of sexually assaulting her young daughter has been jailed for two years.

The 28-year-old, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the child, was also ordered to serve two years' post-custodial supervision.

The mother-of-three was convicted last month of two charges relating to an incident involving her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter in October 2006.

The judge told her: "It's hard to imagine a greater breach of trust."

She was also placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

The jury heard doctors who examined the toddler found she had been sexually assaulted with an object.

The future for her is undoubtedly very bleak Defence barrister The mother said she was the only adult in contact with the girl during the time the doctors concluded the injuries occurred.

Following last month's trial, the jury convicted the woman of indecent assault and child cruelty.

A defence barrister said the woman was herself a victim of sexual abuse.

He said she continues to maintain her innocence, adding: "Her whole life revolved around her children, which makes this case even more difficult in some ways to comprehend and explain."

Saying his client had "lost everything" since the offence, the defence lawyer added: "Since her arrest she has suffered from depression and is at risk from self-harm.

"The future for her is undoubtedly very bleak."

In a moment of seeming madness, the defendant has devastated the lives of those closest to her Judge Burgess The judge said she had shown no remorse, appeared "strangely disassociated" and has continued to deny her involvement despite being found guilty by a jury.

He spoke of the effect her actions have had, not just on the victim but on the youngster's two siblings who are now living with their father and his parents.

Judge Burgess praised the child's paternal grandparents for taking care and proving love and support for all three children since the incident, and spoke of the trauma experienced by the child's father and grandfather who were initially suspected of abusing her.

"In a moment of seeming madness, the defendant has devastated the lives of those closest to her," he said.

Speaking after sentence was passed, the child's grandfather said: "There are no winners in this.

"Realistically she has lost her children, she has lost her husband, she has lost her home and the kids don't have a mother."