A DRUG addict mother and her partner neglected their two young children and they all lived in squalor, a court heard.

Their Birkenhead home was unhygienic and their youngsters, now aged two and six, had dirty clothes.

Liverpool Crown Court was told that both parents were heroin addicts and the younger of the two boys was born suffering from withdrawal symptoms. The 25-year-old mother is expecting another child at Christmas. The baby will be taken into the care of social services.

Placing them on probation for two years, Judge Bryn Holloway said that because of their appalling addictions to heroin they and their children had lived in a squalor.

"One cannot but feel the utmost sympathy for the children. Your addiction led to your inability to care properly for them and any spare money was inevitably spent on drugs rather than on them," said Judge Holloway.

He added that both boys were very difficult and would have caused problems for any parent but that their mother had "simply abdicated her duty to them."

The mother and her partner, 29, who cannot be identified, pleaded guilty to two offences of cruelty by neglect.

Miss Elizabeth Cliff, prosecuting said that the younger boy was seen by a doctor who said that she had never encountered such an active 15-month-old, but she expressed concern about the couple's parenting skills and lack of supervision. On a later occasion, the younger boy was found to have a burn on his arm consistent with contact with a gas fire.

Police found the house was filthy with rubbish and decaying food. There was no food in the cupboards, no hot water and no fireguard, said Miss Cliff.

Defence counsel said that the boys are now in care, with the younger boy likely to be adopted. The parents loved the boys and it was hoped that would eventually be re-united with the older boy, who the mother sees regularly.

The mother had become a drug addict at 14, but was now on a methadone course. She was deeply ashamed, said Mr Arthur Noble.

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