Two convicted in child neglect case

A man was jailed for six months today for causing slight injuries to three children aged under seven, while their mother was given a six month jail sentence suspended for three years for neglecting her children. She was also placed under a supervision order.

The man was convicted of having injured a boy aged just 15 months, another boy aged two years and four months, and a five-year-old girl. The case happened in 2002.

Both admitted the charges.

A doctor who had served at a health centre in evidence before the court said he had found all three children to be extremely dirty. Furthermore, the baby has marks which indicated that he had been hit with a belt or a ruler.

The older boy had two marks which appeared to have been caused by cigarette burns, as well as bruises and scratches which were not self-inflicted.

The girl also had marks on her hands and feet and she had described to him how she was beaten by the man ‘for no reason’.

The doctor said that in his opinion, this was a clear cut case of child abuse.

A doctor who at the time served at St Luke’s Hospital, said the children had been brought to hospital by their grandmother. She said the older boy was aggressive towards her, which was indicative that something was not normal in his life.

She confirmed that all children were very dirty and the older boy had bruises all over his body caused by a flat object. There was no sign of malnutrition.

In considering sentence, the court observed that the man had previous convictions related to drugs and theft and had been given suspended sentences.

It also observed that the woman had been found guilty of loitering for purposes of prostitution.

Names have not been pubished to protect the identity of the children.