Cardiff Crown Court (Image: Wales Updates)
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Children living in a Cardiff property were removed by social services after being found “pale, weak and drowsy” in a house where the floors were covered in animal faeces and a dead dog lay in the kitchen.
Their mother was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on Wednesday after admitting to three counts of child neglect and two offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
Conditions inside the property
Social workers had visited the home over concerns about the children’s welfare, including their absence from school. Police were called to help gain entry to the property, and officers were later needed again to assist with removing the children.
Inside, the house was described as “untidy”, with dog and cat faeces across the floor, broken glass, and an empty fridge. The smell of urine and faeces was described by Judge Christopher Felstead as “overwhelming”.
Social workers found the children lethargic and struggled to keep them awake. One child had head lice, sores, and was described as “dirty”, while another was wearing a soiled nappy.
The dead dog
A dead dog – the defendant’s pet – was discovered in the kitchen. When questioned by the RSPCA, the woman claimed she had last seen the dog alive the day before, but an examination revealed it had been dead for approximately a week.
Prosecutor Ieuan Bennett told the court the animal had been “starved” over a period of many weeks. Three cats were also living at the property without food left out for them. It emerged the defendant had moved out of the home but left the animals locked inside. The cats had not suffered serious injuries and were later rehomed.
Mitigation
Defence solicitor Emma Harris told the court her client was “remorseful” and had endured a series of traumatic life events, including the death of her brother and losing her mother at a young age, which had left her “socially isolated”.
Ms Harris said her client’s mental health had become “increasingly fragile”, and argued this was a case of a woman who was unable to care for her children and pets rather than one who was unwilling to do so.
Sentencing
The defendant had three previous convictions for dissimilar offences.
Judge Felstead described the state of the property as “quite frankly disgusting” before handing down an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.
She was also given a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement and disqualified from keeping animals for two years.
