Woman who shook toddler while boozing at Shrewsbury pub avoids prison after admitting cruelty charge
A mother has avoided going to prison on a child cruelty charge after a judge was told she had been a victim of violence herself.
The mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted taking her toddler into a Shrewsbury pub where she got drunk with a group of men and forcefully shook him and swore, including that she hoped "the little b****** does fall down the stairs".
Olivia Whitworth KC, prosecuting, told a sentencing hearing at Shrewsbury Crown Court that the woman had been "drinking pint for pint with the men".
Staff at the town centre pub refused to serve her during the incident on August 22, 2020, but not before her treatment of the little boy, including shaking him in his pram, had customers calling the police and complaining to staff.
Ms Whitworth said the woman was seen to shake the boy "injuriously" in the pram in a way that was "not comforting". She also struck him to the head and stomach and was heard to swear that she "just wanted a few f****** beers".
Police were called at 7.02pm after she left the pub but they soon arrested her when she was "aggressive and threatening" to officers.
The child was found to have bruising to his buttocks which was commonly associated with abuse, the court was told.
When interviewed the next day, the mother denied everything and said she would put herself on a scale of two out of 10 for her level of intoxication. She said her son had received bruises after playing in the park.
The prosecution and defence had come to an agreement that the woman would face one child cruelty charge, which she admitted. Another charge was put on file, the court was told.
Judge Anthony Lowe, sitting at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Friday, was told that the woman had no previous convictions.
