Guilty of neglect (From Warrington Guardian)

Guilty of neglect

A WINSFORD mum who allowed her child to wander the town streets alone has been given a 12-month community order by Northwich magistrates.

The 21-year-old appeared at the Vale Royal court on Monday to face punishment for wilfully neglecting a young person under 16 years on April 7 of this year.

Carolyn Viviani, prosecuting, said complaints were received from people who had encountered the child around the town centre roads and also in retail premises, namely the Spar store on Cheviot Square.

She said a shop assistant had witnessed the toddler enter the store 'clearly on his own' and take a yoghurt from a fridge before running from the shop towards The Denbigh pub.

Ms Viviani also referred to an incident where the child's life was in danger.

She said: "A gentleman, who was in the shop with his family, saw him leave the shop and walk up and down the line in the middle of the road. When the witness approached the child he discovered his trousers were around his ankles and he was soaked in urine.

The defendant admitted drinking in the pub and said she felt 'drunk as she had not eaten anything since breakfast'.

She said she had let the boy go to the toilet on his own and he must have gone out the rear door without her noticing.

Chairman of the bench Dr John Woulds said she had acted negligently by not taking precautions for the child's safety. She was given a community order with requirement for supervision and ordered to pay costs of £20.