*The woman is awaiting a bed at the Central Mental Hospital.
The 46-year old mother accused of attempting to murder her eight year daughter has been returned for trial to the Central Criminal Court.
At Ennis District Court, Judge Alec Gabbett made the return for trial order to the current sittings of the Central Criminal Court for the woman who is charged with attempting to murder her daughter at temporary accommodation in Clare the two were staying at the time of September 27th last year.
This followed the two volume Book of Evidence being served on solicitor, Tara Godfrey for the accused in court.
The woman has been on remand in custody at Limerick prison since March and Ms Godfrey said her client’s bail application before the High Court is stalled as she requires admission to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) for a forensic psychiatric assessment to be carried out.
The woman is awaiting a bed at the Central Mental Hospital under Section 15 of the Criminal Law Insanity Act.
On the woman continuing to wait for the assessment, Judge Alec Gabbett commented “that is not satisfactory”.
Judge Gabbett extended the legal aid certificate to cover a psychiatric assessment of the accused.
Judge Gabbett also extended the legal aid certificate for a Russian translation of the Book of Evidence and psychiatric assessment.
Ms Godfrey’s request for a legal aid certificate for a senior counsel and junior counsel to represent the accused in the Central Criminal Court was also granted.
The accused was appearing via video link from Limerick prison and she required the assistance of a Russian language interpreter to understand the exchanges in court.
Judge Gabbett gave the woman the alibi warning and told her if her defence involves an alibi she had to inform the State within 14 days in writing.
At the end of the brief hearing, Judge Gabbett said to the accused, ‘thank you and goodbye’
Ms Godfrey previously told the court that her client “had been in psychiatric in-patient treatment from September up to the date she was brought to the Garda Station so we have a chain of custody of my client since the alleged event”.
In the aftermath of the alleged attempted murder last September, the young girl’s condition was described as “critical” after she was allegedly stabbed multiple times at her accommodation.
After the girl subsequently underwent emergency surgery at Crumlin Children’s Hospital in Dublin a Garda spokesman said that she was “out of danger”.
The accused was first arrested and brought to Ennis Garda Station for questioning on March 14th and brought before a special sitting of Ennis District Court the following day when she was charged.
