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Mother spared jail for baby death Mother spared jail for baby death
(about 2 hours later)
A mother who started a fire in which her four-month-old son died has been spared jail at Newcastle Crown Court.A mother who started a fire in which her four-month-old son died has been spared jail at Newcastle Crown Court.
Danielle Wails had claimed she was tied up by intruders who started the fire at her Newcastle home in August 2005. Danielle Wails, 22, had claimed she was tied up by intruders who set the fire at her Newcastle home in August 2005.
She denied the murder of Alexander Gallon but her guilty plea to infanticide was accepted at Newcastle Crown Court. She denied the murder of Alexander Gallon but her guilty plea to infanticide was accepted.
The 22-year-old was given a three-year community order with a period of supervision and other requirements. An independent review into Alexander's death concluded that his mother's behaviour was unpredictable and his death could not have been prevented.
Paul Sloan QC, prosecuting, said the opinion of two psychiatrists was that the balance of her mind was disturbed when the incident occurred. However, the report's author - social care expert Catherine Weightman - found a series of shortcomings by the agencies involved with the family and has made a number of recommendations which must be implemented.
Wails was given a three-year community order with a period of supervision.
Alexander Gallon was pronounced dead in hospitalAlexander Gallon was pronounced dead in hospital
Consultant psychiatrist Adrian East told the court he was satisfied Wails was suffering from post-natal depression and had been diagnosed with the symptoms in the months before the killing. Consultant psychiatrist Adrian East told the court he was satisfied she was suffering from post-natal depression and had been diagnosed with the symptoms in the months before the killing.
On Monday, the court heard Wails had started the fire in the Cowgate area of Newcastle to try to win back the baby's father Robert Gallon, from whom she had split after a series of rows. The court heard Wails had started the fire in the Cowgate area of Newcastle to try to win back the baby's father Robert Gallon, from whom she had split after a series of rows.
The court heard Wails had claimed she was not supported by health and social services staff but records showed she had missed some appointments and that efforts to contact her had proved futile.
Wails told people that Alexander was ill and needed hospital treatment, which proved to be lies.
After Alexander's death, it emerged Wails had bombarded Mr Gallon and his family with phone calls and texts in a reconciliation bid.After Alexander's death, it emerged Wails had bombarded Mr Gallon and his family with phone calls and texts in a reconciliation bid.
Mr Sloan said: "There were many other false claims. It would seem that the underlying purpose behind these false claims was to win back her partner's sympathies and support. Paul Sloan QC, prosecuting, said: "There were many other false claims. It would seem that the underlying purpose behind these false claims was to win back her partner's sympathies and support."
"She was also bombarding people with calls to find out where Robert Gallon was. She clearly wanted him to return to her." 'Terrible incident'
Durham Police said they had reservations about Wails' account of the fire from the outset, but had kept an open mind throughout the investigation.
Fire officers searching her home discovered batteries from the recently installed smoke alarms had been removed and placed in her bedroom drawer, rendering them useless, the court heard.
Police also found the house keys hidden in the laundry basket upstairs - meaning the intruders could not have locked her in the house.
Brian Forster QC, defending, said Wails had been suffering from postnatal depression and was struggling to cope with caring for her son.
He said: "In the end she saw no way, no future for herself or for her child and this terrible incident, wicked as it was, came about."