Shropshire Star

Shifnal mum jailed over sons' broken bones

A mother from Shifnal has been jailed and her two young sons taken away from her after both suffered broken bones and a catalogue of injuries while in her care.

Published

A mother from Shifnal has been jailed and her two young sons taken away from her after both suffered broken bones and a catalogue of injuries while in her care.

Jodie Maxwell's five-month-old baby was found to have a broken leg and two broken ribs when he was admitted to hospital in July last year because of concerns about his weight. His brother broke his collar bone and ankle.

Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday heard doctors said the baby could have broken his ribs up to eight weeks before being taken to hospital.

His elder brother also suffered a broken collar bone and broken ankle while in Maxwell's care, with both injuries blamed on falling off a bed, the court was told.

Maxwell, 21, of Church Meadow, admitted cruelty in that she failed to protect the two boys, the eldest between June 2009 and July 2010 and the youngest between February and July last year.

The court was told the two brothers were taken into care after the baby's injuries were discovered.

Maxwell was jailed for 18 months by Judge Robin Onions, who said he was not sentencing her for causing the injuries. But he added: "You must have closed your eyes to what was going on and you allowed your children to suffer. How could you miss the fracture to the leg and the ribs – I can only imagine the pain that the baby must have been suffering for two months."

Mr Phillip Beardwell, prosecuting, said that as a single mother of the oldest boy, Maxwell had been living in supported accommodation and had been described as coping brilliantly.

However, he said when she moved into her own accommodation and started a relationship there were concerns about cleanliness and her son had treatment for a broken ankle.

Her new baby had problems putting on weight, while the older child suffered a collar bone fracture, again blamed on falling off a bed, Mr Beardwell said.

Mr Mark Sharman, for Maxwell, said: "The greatest punishment of all for her is having her children taken away from her, something far worse than anything this court can impose."

By Sue Austin