Baby girl found crying on floor of squalid caravan near Bridgnorth had cocaine in her system

The child's parents were in court to be sentenced for child neglect.

Police officers visited the caravan on the evening of March 16 last year after concerns were raised for the welfare of the baby and parents living there.

"They gained entrance although there was some delay, and during that time they could hear a child crying," prosecutor John Oates told the court.

Officers met the child's father who was "clearly under the influence of drugs" and "told them he had taken cocaine when police entered the caravan".

"They found it was in a state of extreme squalor.

"[The girl's mother] was unconscious on a sofa with the baby next to her feet."

Screws, sharp objects and drug paraphernalia were seen on the floor near the baby. The girl's father showed police crack cocaine and a bag of white powder.

"It became clear that [the mother] had also taken cocaine," Mr Oates said.

The baby was taken out of the caravan. Her urine was tested by forensics experts and was found to contain benzoylecgonine, a chemical compound produced by the human body as it metabolises cocaine.

Mr Oates said there was no evidence the parents had given the child cocaine, but traces could have been inhaled when she was taking cocaine or smoking crack herself.

Both parents, who are not being identified in order to protect the identity of their daughter, were interviewed by police. They were later charged with a single count of child neglect each, and both pleaded guilty at Telford Magistrates Court in August of this year.

They attended the crown court, sitting at Telford, to be sentenced on Friday.

Mitigating for the mother, who is from Wednesbury, Robert Edwards told the court there had been a "remarkable turnaround" in her life and she is now a responsible carer for others. Both parents have contact with their daughter.

He acknowledged the cocaine found in the baby's body was a serious matter but said "there was no physical harm caused to the child which the prosecution can provide evidence of".

He said the child is now "thriving" and living with a relative. The mother has given up drugs and has "put the child's needs before her own".

Representing the father, who is from the Bridgnorth area, Rosemary Proctor said her client has been free of drugs for 18 months, having voluntarily engaged with addiction recovery services, and had written a letter to the court.

"He gives himself absolutely nowhere to hide. There are no weasel words.

"He knows that what he did was thoroughly selfish, putting his addiction before the welfare of his child."

Miss Proctor said that the defendant wants to "be the father she deserves" and that sending him to prison would be to her detriment.

Judge Recorder Julian Taylor addressed the father first: "You were clearly under the influence of drugs.

"You were conscious but that's about all you were."

Addressing the mother he said: "You were unconscious. Neither of you were capable of looking after this young baby at this time.

"You were living in a dreadful situation.

"It's clear that your daughter had somehow ingested or taken cocaine. How that was is a matter of speculation.

"Drugs kill and they can kill little babies who are in the vicinity.

"That is something you will have to live with."

He did note that both defendants showed genuine remorse and had made significant progress "turning [their] lives around".

He decided that sending them to prison would set them back and would not benefit their daughter, so instead decided to impose the strictest possible suspended sentence - two years in jail, suspended for two years.

No conditions were imposed on them other than that they cooperate with probation officers. It means that they will not face any further punishment if they attend appointments when told and do not commit any other crimes in the next two years.

Both parents must also pay a victim surcharge. They walked free from court.