A CHILD told police officers “I don’t want my mummy to be arrested” after they went to an address in Powys following an anonymous call about the child’s welfare.
The young child's mother, aged 38, but who cannot be identified, was found at her home address asleep and under the influence of both alcohol and medication when police attended in June 2023.
When police went to the address, after 8.30pm, one officer asked the boy what he had eaten that day, to which he replied “Weetabix”.
The child’s mother admitted one charge of wilfully neglecting her son, in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering, when she appeared at Llandrindod Wells Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, March 13.
Prosecutor James Sprunks told the court: “Police were phoned by an anonymous caller.
“The caller stated that the defendant was home alone, drunk; they knew this as the defendant had left them a voicemail between 8-8.30pm and appeared to be gargling and slurring her words. A child could be heard in the background crying.
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“The caller said they knew the defendant was an alcoholic.
“Police attended and PC Chard rang both doorbells, then knocked, and opened the letter box. He could hear a child crying inside. He shouted (the defendant’s name).
“A neighbour arrived and said she’d seen the defendant earlier and described her as intoxicated.
“One officer gained access at the back of the property and saw PC Edwards speaking to the child. He said to the officer ‘I don’t want my mummy to be arrested’. The defendant was asleep in the front room.”
Mr Sprunks added: “She said the medication she was taking caused her to be in the state she was. She then became visibly upset and asked an officer ‘Can we please have one more chance?’.
“A bottle of vodka was found in her handbag. Officers decided to look for somewhere for the defendant and child to go that evening."
Mr Sprunks said the mum then got irate at the officers and slammed the door in their faces, but she was later arrested.
He said the defendant possessed a record with a number of previous convictions – including ill treatment of a child from 2005.
Matt Lewis, representing the mother, said his client accepts responsibility.
“This goes back to last summer. Since the offence, I have good news to report,” said Mr Lewis.
“She has had previous involvement with children’s services. There was a previous incident of child neglect.
“After this she was referred to Powys County Council’s children’s services, but the child remained in her care and she has made excellent progress, and supervision has come to an end.
“She has demonstrated she is capable of providing good enough care to her son. There was emotional harm to the child, but no other harm. It was a one-off incident."
Mr Lewis described his client, a single mother who does not work, as a recovering alcoholic.
Magistrates adjourned sentencing and ordered a pre-sentence report to be prepared. The defendant will return to court to be sentenced on April 10.
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