Mothers locked children in filthy flat to go out drinking

[Otherside]

Mothers locked children in filthy flat while they went on 12-hour bender

The two friends - who cannot be named for legal reasons - were let free from court to return to their children 'to avoid causing further suffering'

Conditions found inside a Gloucester home where two young children were left home alone Photo: (SWNS)

By Agency
2:24PM GMT 13 Feb 2015

Two mothers locked their young children in this filthy, cold and dirty home for 12 hours while they went on a drunken night out.

The pair abandoned the little boy and girl, aged six and seven, in bed in a house filled with empty alcohol bottles but no food as they went on an all-night bender.

The friends admitted child neglect - but were let free from court to return to their children "to avoid causing further suffering".

A judge was shown the shocking scene that greeted police who found the children shivering and hungry in the flat in Gloucester.

Pictures showed at least seven empty bottles of alcohol - including wine, sambuca and vodka - and fridge containing only ketchup, bread and half a cucumber.

Judge Euan Ambrose condemned the pair but told them: "The only thing that has spared you today is the need for this court to avoid further suffering to your children.

"Your decision to go out was utterly irresponsible. It amounted to the two of you putting your own selfish pleasures above the welfare of your children."

Gloucester Crown Court heard the women - who can not be identified to protect their children - drank heavily after putting their children to bed and then decided to go out.

They left at around 10.30pm and after necking drinks in the pub headed to a party where they stayed all night until about 11am the next morning.

The two mothers admitted neglecting the children

Police were alerted after a man visited the house and asked the children where their mothers were.

Julian Kesner, prosecuting, said they initially knocked on the door but got no reply although they could hear movement inside.

At least seven empty bottles of alcohol were found

An officer opened the letterbox and saw the children and asked if anyone else was in and a child replied: "My mum went to the High Street but she wasn't here when we woke up."

Mr Kesner said: "On looking at the children the officer could see they appeared frightened, uncomfortable and cold.

"The police therefore opened the door and one was crying.

Police found the flat freezing cold with no heating

"She said she didn't have anything to wear on her bottom half of her body so the police looked in the boy's bedroom to see if they could find anything suitable for her to put on.

"In his bedroom they noticed what was described as his bedding being a thin dirty duvet with no pillow.

All the bedding in the flat was left filthy

"There were hardly any clothes in the chest of drawers - just a single school uniform and two T-shirts.

"The police looked for food in the fridge and the kitchen but it was almost bare.

"One child was asked when they had last eaten. This was a Saturday morning and they said the last they had eaten was breakfast on Friday morning."

There was hardly any food left in the house

The mother - both in their 20s - returned to the flat the following morning in April to find the children had already been taken into care.

Lloyd Jenkins, defending one, said she had a history of depression, anxiety and abuse from a former partner as well as alcoholism but was now sober.

He admitted: "There are no excuses. On this night she was extremely selfish.

"She decided to have a night out and ignore the welfare of her child.

"What she did was deplorable. She is ashamed of what she did and regrets her behaviour."

Joe Maloney, for the other mother, said she realised how stupid she had been and how much the children were at risk.

"There have been no further diffculties since he was returned to her," he said.

The two mothers, both from Gloucester, pleaded guilty to neglecting the children.

Judge Ambrose sentenced them both to six months in jail, suspended for two years, supervision for two years, a 20-day female offender programme, and a 12-month electronically tagged curfew from 8am to 6pm.