A mother’s home was declared “unlivable” after social workers found every room buried under rubbish, rotting food and dirty clothes – while her children showed visible signs of neglect at school.
The woman’s children first came to the attention of authorities after staff at their school raised concerns about alcohol use and the condition of the youngsters. Her daughter was described as “unkempt”, with untidy hair, shoes that were too tight and riddled with holes, and a white school shirt that had turned grey.
Cardiff Crown Court heard during a sentencing hearing on Friday how the young girl had told school staff she wore nappies at night but her mother would not change her.
The home
When social workers visited the property and the mother was subsequently arrested, they discovered a house in a shocking state of disrepair. Every room was strewn with clothes, bags of used food, drink packages and general waste.
The kitchen surfaces were completely covered, leaving no space to prepare meals, while the living room floor was hidden beneath clothing and rubbish, with a corner piled high with children’s toys.
Upstairs was no better – the entire first floor was buried under clothing and the hallway was lined with bags of rubbish. Officers noted the smell of cigarette smoke lingered throughout the property.
The bathroom floor was scattered with wet wipes, mouldy food, used pregnancy tests and yet more rubbish. In one bedroom, half of a double bed was taken up by used dishes, ashtrays, leftover food and takeaway packaging, while a chest of drawers was hidden beneath stacked boxes.
The defendant’s response
During her police interview, the woman admitted she felt “disgusted” and had “given up” on the house, saying she didn’t know where to start. It later emerged she had been consuming a litre of Malibu every day.
She went on to plead guilty to two counts of assaulting/ill-treating/neglecting/abandoning a child or young person to cause unnecessary suffering or injury. The court heard she had two previous convictions of a dissimilar nature.
Sentencing
In mitigation, Hannah Friedman said her client had been addicted to alcohol but had worked to become sober with the hope of having her children back to live with her in the future.
Describing it as a “sad case”, Judge Vanessa Francis sentenced the defendant to a two-year community order.
