A Brisbane mother and her girlfriend have received jail after a string of “vile and abhorrent” assaults on their three-year-old son.
Police found the injured boy with severe bruises to most of his body, as well as abrasions and cuts, the Courier-Mail reported.
The women’s abuse and neglect of the three-year-old only came to light when a neighbour called police, concerned about the two women arguing.
Crown prosecutor Rebecca Marks told the court the toddler was suffering “chronic malnutrition”.
“He was sitting on the floor at the time eating a bowl of cold noodles, as well as eating off the floor,” Marks told the Brisbane District Court.
She described the women’s abuse and neglect as “extremely serious and heinous offending”.
Marks said some of the boy’s injuries were consistent with a belt buckle and a coathanger.
The court heard the boy had not seen a doctor for more than a year, despite his siblings and his parents visiting a GP in that time.
“Those who were meant to protect him utterly failed him when he was most vulnerable and in need of their love, care and attention,” she said.
Judge sentenced both Brisbane women to jail
One woman, aged 25, is the toddler’s mother. The other, a 29-year-old, was her partner at the time of the offences.
The couple’s lawyers told the Brisbane District Court both women were heavy ice users at the time.
On Friday, the women, who can’t be named, both pleaded guilty in the Brisbane District Court to child cruelty and a string of assault charges, the Courier-Mail reported.
Brisbane District Court Judge Brad Farr described the womens’ behaviour as vile, “incomprehensible and shameful in the extreme”.
“It was disgusting, disgraceful behaviour and you had no regard for that child’s welfare,” he said.
Judge Farr sentenced both women to three and a half years’ jail.
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