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| Belfast baby murder case: Woman found guilty of killing son | Belfast baby murder case: Woman found guilty of killing son |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Toys and flowers were left at the scene of the incident in 2021 | Toys and flowers were left at the scene of the incident in 2021 |
| A woman has been found guilty of murdering her eight-week old son and attempting to murder his two-year-old sister. | A woman has been found guilty of murdering her eight-week old son and attempting to murder his two-year-old sister. |
| The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, accepted she stabbed the children on 27 July 2021 but denied the charges. | The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, accepted she stabbed the children on 27 July 2021 but denied the charges. |
| But jurors rejected her argument and found her guilty after more than five hours of deliberations. | But jurors rejected her argument and found her guilty after more than five hours of deliberations. |
| The woman was convicted at Belfast Crown Court on Thursday. | The woman was convicted at Belfast Crown Court on Thursday. |
| She will receive an automatic life sentence, with the amount of time she has to serve before being considered for parole being set at a later date. | She will receive an automatic life sentence, with the amount of time she has to serve before being considered for parole being set at a later date. |
| The woman placed her head in her hands and sobbed "no, no, no" as the jury read out the guilty verdict. | The woman placed her head in her hands and sobbed "no, no, no" as the jury read out the guilty verdict. |
| The juror broke down as she read the guilty verdict and had to sit down to compose herself. | The juror broke down as she read the guilty verdict and had to sit down to compose herself. |
| Harrowing evidence | Harrowing evidence |
| When handing down the life sentence, Judge Donna McColgan said "this has been a very difficult and stressful case". | When handing down the life sentence, Judge Donna McColgan said "this has been a very difficult and stressful case". |
| "I will be excusing the jury from jury service for the rest of their lives," she added. | "I will be excusing the jury from jury service for the rest of their lives," she added. |
| "Counselling will also be made available to all jurors." | "Counselling will also be made available to all jurors." |
| Over the last six weeks, Belfast Crown Court has heard harrowing evidence. | Over the last six weeks, Belfast Crown Court has heard harrowing evidence. |
| After the woman stabbed the children, she made five phone calls, including one to the children's father, telling him that their daughter was "lying slowly bleeding". | After the woman stabbed the children, she made five phone calls, including one to the children's father, telling him that their daughter was "lying slowly bleeding". |
| It was only after this call that she phoned 999, telling police: "I killed my kid for him." | It was only after this call that she phoned 999, telling police: "I killed my kid for him." |
| The case is due to be mentioned again in court next week, with the minimum tariff the woman will serve before being considered for parole still to be set. | |
| The woman cannot be named to protect the identity of her surviving child. |