A woman was awarded custody of her two children after a court heard how their father used to abuse of drugs in front of them and was jailed over a hold-up.

The couple met in 1997 and after six months the woman became pregnant. However, after the birth in September of that year, they split up. They briefly got back together again and a second child was born in February 2002.

The woman told the court her estranged partner had only made one payment in the form of a maintenance grant ordered by the court.

He had taken drugs in front of the children and had even been jailed over a hold-up, besides forgetting about the children and paying them no attention at all, she said.

Mr Justice Noel Cuschieri upheld her request for full custody, saying she had proven her case through other witnesses and her estranged partner’s criminal record.

The names of those involved are not being mentioned to protect the children’s identity.