Perth mother gets community service for child neglect

A woman who was so intoxicated her five-year-old son had to try to hold her head up has been ordered to carry out unpaid work.

The 35-year-old from Almondbank had earlier admitted wilfully neglecting the child through being incapacitated by drink or drugs.

Perth Sheriff Court was told how witnesses had spotted the woman and her child at around 3.30pm on July 10 and formed the opinion she was under the influence or either drink or drugs.

Sometime later another witness saw the accused on the ground on Gellyburn Road in Almondbank with her son nearby.

Depute fiscal Jim Eodonable said the child had started trying to hold his mother’s head up as she was incapable of doing so herself.

The child’s former babysitter passed by and offered to look after him in the interim. The police were then contacted.

The woman admitted wilfully neglecting the child in a manner likely to cause him unnecessary suffering or injury to his health by being under the influence of drink or drugs.

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis sentenced her to 100 hours of unpaid work.