A couple from Leyland, Lancashire, have been sentenced to 14 months in prison after admitting four counts of child neglect. Their four children, all under five, were found living in squalid conditions with faeces smeared on walls and floors.
Police discovered the children in October 2015 when officers attended the property by chance for an unrelated matter. They were left retching by the overpowering stench. The children were dirty, dishevelled, and wearing only nappies or T-shirts. One baby was in a bouncer just two feet from a halogen heater, naked except for a nappy. A screaming girl was trapped under a bed frame in a room full of faeces and flies.
Two toddlers were in a bedroom with faeces on the walls, open soiled nappies, dirty bedding, and exposed carpet rods. There was no food in the kitchen, so officers bought food for the children. All four had temperatures and skin conditions and were taken to hospital.
Judge Mark Brown described the conditions as a “deplorable and appalling state of affairs,” noting the parents showed “complete indifference to their welfare.” He suspended the mother’s two-year sentence due to her mental condition, with a rehabilitation requirement. The father received 14 months.
The judge questioned Lancashire County Council’s social services for returning the children to their parents after the initial discovery. Amanda Hatton, the council’s director of children’s services, said the family court had placed the children back with their parents despite the council’s recommendation for permanent placement with extended family. The council is now working with extended family to ensure the children’s safety.
