A woman has pleaded guilty to the sexual exploitation of her 16-year-old son while her husband recorded the act.
The woman (37) had sexual intercourse with the victim, Circuit Court Judge Sinéad McMullan was told on Tuesday.
The mother, who worked as a childminder for cash, pleaded guilty to defilement of a child under the age of 17, sexual exploitation and wilful neglect.
The boy’s father (35) admitted aiding and abetting her, knowingly producing child pornography, detaining or restricting his son for sexual exploitation and wilful neglect.
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Neither parent can be named to protect the identity of the victim, who was taken into care after reporting the incident.
Detective Sergeant Liam Lonergan told a midlands court the couple got married in 2020. The victim was their child. They also had a younger daughter together.
Det Sgt Lonergan said gardaí found the house to be in a very poor condition with farm animals and pets reared inside.
He said two incidents occurred in the parents’ bedroom on January 12th last year.
The court heard matters came to light at about 12.30am on January 13th, 2024, when the son left the home through his bedroom window and cycled to a friend’s house. The friend’s parents immediately contacted gardaí.
When questioned, the parents denied their son’s allegations, the court heard.
The woman had 41 previous convictions, mostly for road traffic offences and none of which related to sexual offences.
She had issues with drugs and had an eating disorder and said she had been the victim of sexual abuse herself when she was a teenager, the court heard.
The court heard the father was a drug user with 15 previous convictions, including convictions for robbery, criminal damage and assault.
In a victim impact statement read out in the court by Seoirse Ó Dúnlaing SC, prosecuting, the teenager, who was in court, said the past year-and-a-half had been rough and he had many problems trusting people.
He had mental health issues, barely slept because of nightmares and fell behind in his school work. He said his relationship with his sister suffered because she did not believe what had happened.
The parents each wrote letters of apology. Reading hers in court, the mother said she loved her son and was sorry for what happened on “that horrible day”.
She betrayed his trust and she did not expect forgiveness, she said, noting a mother was supposed to protect her son.
She praised her son for his bravery, assured him he did nothing wrong and said she would change things if she could.
Eileen O’Leary SC, defending the mother, said the woman had a long history of depression and suicidal ideation and had attempted suicide before and after these offences.
Ms O’Leary said drugs were involved in the incident.
Dara Foynes SC, for the father, said the son was subjected to “fairly heinous conduct”. The father accepted his behaviour was appalling and that he was entirely responsible for what happened.
The man had a troubled background and was the victim of abuse himself, the court heard. That resulted in drug-taking and while he went off drugs during cancer treatment he was using at the time of the offences.
He said he would regret what he did to his son until the day he died.
The court heard the couple’s house had been repossessed and they were living in a mobile home. Grandparents were now the “primary custodians” of the couple’s two children, Ms Foynes said.
Judge McMullan said she would finalise sentencing on Friday. She remanded the parents in custody.
