A BASINGSTOKE mother has been given a community order for not raising the alarm soon enough when her baby was injured. 

The mother, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, waited 11 hours before seeking medical attention for her seven-month-old who had suffered serious injuries.

Winchester Crown Court heard today how the seven-month-old sustained three serious fractures to their left arm in May 2019. 

The prosecution stated that the child would have been in ‘significant distress’ and discomfort and any carer would have seen that the baby needed urgent medical attention.

The mother eventually took the child to Basingstoke Hospital 11 hours later, the following morning after a family member sent five texts demanding her to do so. 

The young mother who suffers from recurrent depression and personality disorder admitted she had ‘no bond’ with the child.

Defence stated during the sentencing that the mother's intentions were not ‘malicious or pre planned’ and that her failure to act could have been from ‘fear of consequence’.

The court heard that the mother has a ‘horrific aspect to her formative years’ experiencing mental health issues alongside being ‘in relationships that are wholly unfunctional and dangerous for her’.

Her history was referred to as ‘a sad one’ by Judge Miller QC who stated at the time of the incident she was living with her third domestically abusive partner who was also a crack cocaine addict.

Judge Miller continued: “You prefer to be with an abusive partner than on your own. You clearly need as much help as you can get.”

It was ruled that the defendant had ‘deliberately failed to protect’ her child when they sustained serious physical harm.

The mother was sentenced to an 18-month community order, 100 hours of unpaid work and 40 days of rehabilitation activity.

Judge Miller ended her sentencing with a kind message for the mother: “I think you have decided to try turn your life around. I wish you well.”