Mother jailed for child's burns

The sentencing took place at Mold Crown Court

A Rhyl mother has been jailed for a year after inflicting 'agonising' cigarette burns on her ten-year-old son who has a mental age of three.

Judge Roger Dutton told the 30-year-old woman, who restrained the boy before burning two craters into his wrists, that he could not understand how she could have watched the boy's agony.

There was deliberation in what you did

Judge Roger Dutton

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted assault.

The judge at Mold Crown Court said: "This was not a momentary loss of temper and lashing out which so often comes before the court.

"There was deliberation in what you did," he said.

The injuries were discovered by a teacher when she tried to hold the boy's hand and he pulled it away in pain.

Behavioural problems

The judge warned the woman that questions about her ability to care for children would be raised.

He said: "I am afraid there must be a significant question about your fitness to have any of your children if this is the sort of behaviour you resort to when faced with behavioural problems."

Prosecutor Simon Medland said the mother had initially dismissed the burns as an accident and said the boy had brushed against her cigarette.

But medical evidence showed the burns were two craters and could not have been caused by simply brushing alongside the cigarette.

Mr Medland said it was clear the boy's left hand was held while it was burned.

Remorse

Stuart Clare, defending, said the woman had no real explanation but was remorseful.

He said she had accepted the child's hand was restrained and this was backed by a defence expert's report.

He said the mother was under stress and was suffering anxiety and depression.

The boy has been made the subject of an interim care order and her other children have been placed in foster care.

The woman showed no emotion as she was led to the cells.