Court sentences gambling mum for exposing child to harm

Tuesday 11 December 2018

A mother who put her child in harm’s way whilst celebrating winning almost £1,000 through online gambling has been bound over for a year by Jersey's Magistrate's court.

The woman, who cannot be named to protect the identity of her child, appeared in Court to be sentenced for exposing her child to harm after she took them with her to a celebration which turned violent.

The Court heard that the incident took place in June, when the mother was drinking and playing on an online gaming site with a friend. The two had drunk a bottle of wine each when they won £980, and “decided to go into town to celebrate."

Initially, the mother had planned to leave her child with her brother, but, having arrived at her brother’s house too late, he refused to look after the child “on the basis that his own child had been woken up” by their arrival. 

Pictured: The Court heard that the woman was drinking wine with a friend when they won almost £1,000 through online gambling.

The two decided to go to another friend’s house who lived nearby, and to bring the child with them. Police Legal Advisor Carla Carvalho told the Court that “it was understood that whilst at that address, [the defendant] consumed a further one to one-and-a-half bottles of wine.”

The Court heard that the woman “became annoyed at a dog at the premises” which belonged to her friend’s boyfriend and an argument escalated to a “physical altercation” between the woman and the dog-owner.

Ms Carvalho said that “the friend’s boyfriend pushed at the defendant” so that she “fell and hit head on the sofa." The fight continued and the child even “tried to separate the adults” when they were “pushed by the boyfriend on the shoulder."

They then left the premises, but the woman had forgotten her keys so had to knock on the door again. Another fight between her and the boyfriend ensued resulting in the woman “falling to the ground and hitting her head”. The Police went to the address and found the defendant and her child outside the house.

After the events of the evening, the woman was described as being “heavily intoxicated”, “unsteady on her feet and her eyes were glazed.” Meanwhile, “the child was extremely upset” and had been described as “scared and sobbing frantically."

Pictured: Police went to the address after two fights had occurred between the woman and her friend's boyfriend.

Defence Advocate James Bell addressed Relief Magistrate David Le Cornu, saying that his client was “genuinely remorseful” and that “she should have made better arrangements for her” child. He added that she “sincerely regrets how the night unfolded” and that it has “weighed heavily on her” considering the incident took place back in the summer.

Having listened to both sides of the case, the Relief Magistrate said to the woman: “This has taken a long time to come to Court and it’s been hanging over your head for all that time… This is clearly not your usual behaviour and I’m sure you’ve learned a lot from it.”

Relief Magistrate Le Cornu then proceeded to impose a binding over order for a year. This means that should the woman commit any other offences during that time, the Court will have to consider this matter as well when it comes to sentencing.