A psychiatrist tells a Belfast court that she does not believe a mother who stabbed her two children, killing one of them, was motivated by revenge
The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, accepts she stabbed the children but denies the chargesA 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.
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.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.
"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.""Almost exclusively men do it. I don't know the frequency of women doing it. But it is rare."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".
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