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Mum could face prison
A SELBY mother who injured her daughter whilst chastising her could be facing a jail sentence.
The 24-year-old, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the child, pleaded guilty before Selby magistrates to a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
However, the case was adjourned for the preparation of a pre-sentence report, magistrate Ian Franks telling the woman that all options, including custody, would be open to the sentencing court.
Sandra White, prosecuting, told how the five-year-old child had been getting ready for a PE lesson at school on July 3, this year, when a teaching assistant noticed bruising on her body.
Concerned, the assistant reported matters to a teacher and the school’s head then contacted social services.
The girl was later medically examined and a 5cm by 4cm non-accidental bruise to her back was found.
Her mother was spoken to and accepted slapping her daughter and that she may have been “heavy-handed”.
The court heard that the mother was under a community order at the time of the offence, imposed by Selby magistrates for an assault on an adult.
Victoria Latham, mitigating, said that the latest offence was committed under “unfortunate circumstances”.
She said that at the time her client had been chastising all her children who had “wound and wound her up”.
Miss Latham said that the mother had smacked her daughter and had accepted all along that she had probably hit her too hard.
The case was adjourned until January 17 and the mother admitted to unconditional bail.
* A SELBY mother’s concerns for her child led to her arming herself with a knife and going in search of her ex-partner who had taken him.
Selby magistrates were told that because of alleged previous violent episodes, Samantha Sinead Arthur, 21, had picked up the kitchen knife to defend herself when she set off to the home of his ex-partner’s mother in Tenant Street on the night of November 25.
However, Arthur may now be facing a prison sentence after admitting possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.
Sandra White, prosecuting, told how following the child being dropped-off back with his mother by his father on November 25, this year, he later saw her out at around 9pm without the four-year-old boy and quizzed her as to his whereabouts.
On being told by Arthur that her new boyfriend of only two or three days was looking after him, the father went to her Elizabeth Court home and removed his son.
The court heard that when Arthur later arrived at his address she was making threats, including that she was going to stab her ex-partner.
The police were called, the knife eventually being found on the seat of the ex-partners vehicle having been posted through an open window by Arthur when she saw officers arriving.
Keith Haggerty, mitigating, said that his client had been out buying electricity and had left her son with two adults, but knew that her ex-partner would use the incident “perhaps unlawfully” to take the child.
He added that his client was refused her son back and had not had access to him for a month.
Mr Haggerty said that the matter had since been dealt with by a judge at Hull Crown Court who ruled that the boy should live with Arthur.
Mr Haggerty added that the judge was now going to access the father’s compliance with a contact regime he had drawn up.
The court decided that a pre-sentence report was required, magistrate Ian Franks telling Arthur that all options, including custody, were to be examined.
Arthur was granted bail until January 17 on condition that she has no contact with her ex-partner’s
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Weather for Selby
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Heavy rain
Temperature: 11 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
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