Mother jailed for child cruelty

Ms Ribas got into her car after spending five hours in a nightclub

A woman who locked her toddler in a car while she went out clubbing in Manchester has been sentenced to three months in jail for child cruelty.

Christiana Ribas, 28, of Salford Quays, left her child in freezing temperatures with no food and nothing to drink, Manchester Magistrates Court was told.

When she returned to her car, she was drunk and unable to drive home.

She admitted charges of child cruelty, failing to provide a specimen, and having no licence or insurance.

Ms Ribas, originally from Portugal, was out at the Elemental nightclub on Oxford Road from 2130 GMT until 0220 GMT on February 20.

When she left the club doormen stopped her from driving away for her own safety.

A doorman then spotted her 18-month-old daughter on the back seat of her VW Golf car.

This is one of the most shameful episodes of child cruelty by neglect I have had the misfortune to deal with in my 10 years on this bench District Judge Alan Berg

District Judge Alan Berg told the court: "It was an act of pure selfishness, nothing more, nothing less.

"I have to say that if it was an animal locked up in the car in these conditions, there would have been a justifiable public outrage. How much more a little baby?"

Janet Hall, for the prosecution, said Ribas became aggressive when the doorman confiscated her car keys.

After her arrest, the child was taken into the care of foster parents.

In her defence, Jeremy Spence described what Ribas had done as a "one-off aberration."

He said when she went into the club, she had not meant to stay as long as she did.

The judge said: "This is one of the most shameful episodes of child cruelty by neglect I have had the misfortune to deal with in my 10 years on this bench.

"You, in my view, abandoned all your natural instincts and responsibilities. The only reason you did that was to indulge in your desire to have a good time."