Pair admit cruelty to young girls

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A mother and her partner have admitted cruelty charges against two young girls left so hungry they were seen going through other children's lunchboxes.

The girls at a school in Northampton were "riddled with nits" and often hungry, Northampton Crown Court heard.

Their mother, 32, and her 38-year-old partner, who cannot be named for legal reasons, also pleaded guilty to counts of common assault against the children.

Sentencing was adjourned until 11 September for reports to be prepared.

The couple were granted conditional bail.

The court heard that after concerns were raised over their wellbeing, the girls told a school staff member their mother's partner had hit them, leaving them with bruises on their legs.

They (the mother and her partner) ill-treated these children, they neglected them and they exposed them to danger Steven Evans, prosecuting

The couple changed their pleas just before the girls, aged eight and nine, were due to give evidence at the court.

Opening the case before they pleaded guilty, Steven Evans, prosecuting, told the court the girls were regularly unkempt, "riddled with nits" and often hungry.

Mr Evans said: "In a nutshell what the Crown say is this - that they ill-treated these children, they neglected them and they exposed them to danger."

During his trial opening, the prosecutor said the woman's partner told police he had a "very, very good" relationship with the girls and admitted smoking cannabis, but not in front of them.

He originally denied assaulting the girls to police officers.

Judge Michael Fowler accepted guilty pleas from the pair for common assault, and counts of wilfully assaulting, ill-treating, neglecting, abandoning or exposing a child under 16 in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health.

The court heard the couple pleaded guilty on the basis they had hit the children to chastise them.