A north Cumbria mum who allowed her children to sleep in urine stained and bloodstained beds as her life “spiralled out of control” has been sentenced for cruelty crimes.
Carlisle Crown Court heard the woman’s Eden district home in which she lived with the youngsters was initially visited in September 2017.
At that time it was noted to be in “quite good order, if a little messy” and social services were not particularly concerned about the mother.
But prosecutor Nicholas Clarke said that changed by late January 2018:
“Between these two dates,” he said, “there would appear to have been something of deterioration in the children’s care.”
Police were contacted after grandparents saw a Snapchat post showing the woman “in a state of undress and taking drugs”.
During an inspection of her house, an officer found a bedroom used by two children smelled “primarily of excrement”, while beds were seen to be urine- and bloodstained”.
Empty bottles, a plate “dusted with cocaine” and a credit card were found, although the woman later emphatically denied taking the drug.
School staff were also concerned youngsters had been sent to lessons inappropriately dressed — summer clothing in winter.
They also learned there had been nobody to place them on a bus, and on occasion there was no-one to collect them.
The mum was sentenced by a judge earlier today.
She had admitted three child cruelty crimes having allowed youngsters to sleep in a dirty bedroom and failed to ensure a medical condition was properly treated.
She also admitted cocaine possession.
Her barrister, Judith McCullough, said the woman’s life spiralled out of control after she discovered her partner had been having an affair.
“She accepts overall, that for that reasonably short period of time, the standard of care to be expected was not met,” she told the court.
“The defendant would be the first to accept that it was very difficult indeed to care for the children.”
Ms McCullough added: “This is a situation with which this young woman was unable to cope. Since then she has sought to put her life back in order.”
Judge David Swinnerton echoed Ms McCullough’s observation that it was a very sad case.
It had also been a tragedy, he concluded, both for the mother and youngsters.
He imposed an 18-month community order comprising a rehabilitation activity requirement.
