The judge said the defendant was the mother of a young child and had a long history of drug addiction. Photograph: Noel Bennett/Getty ImagesA “vulnerable” mother and cancer survivor who was caught with an arsenal of weapons “secreted” under the stairs of her home has been jailed by the Special Criminal Court for four years. The judge said the defendant was the mother of a young child and had a long history of drug addiction. She said the court had received evidence that Byrne’s addiction resulted in her being compelled to leave the family home. Having considered the mitigation and the guilty plea, the judge imposed a sentence of four years’ imprisonment for that offence.

Source: The Irish Times December 02, 2025 05:48 UTC