Smoking toddler's mother guilty

[Guest alex]

A three-year-old boy lit a cigarette butt and smoked it in front of his mother, a court has been told.

 

It was filmed on a mobile and passed to social services by Kelly Marie Pocock's friend, Merthyr Crown Court heard.

 

The friend earlier spotted him smoking a cigarette and said it looked like he had been "smoking for many years".

 

The judge said it was an appalling case and Pocock, from Merthyr Vale, was sentenced to 40 weeks suspended for two years after admitting child cruelty.

 

But Judge John Curran said he did not jail Pocock because of her "considerable efforts" since the incident.

 

Prosecutor Jonathan Rees told the court Pocock's friend Natasha Dudley filmed the events after visiting her home just after Christmas 2007.

 

Mr Rees said Ms Dudley had gone looking for the boy after he had been missing for 30 minutes.

 

"She found him underneath the bed with some cigarettes," said Mr Rees.

 

"He was actually smoking one at the time and Ms Dudley said it looked like he had been smoking for many years."

 

The court heard that when the boy was taken downstairs he went into the living room where he picked up a cigarette butt from an ashtray and smoked it.

 

Mr Rees said at this point, Pocock was having a telephone conversation so Ms Dudley decided to film the boy, such was her concern.

 

"The video demonstrates the boy placing a cigarette into his mouth, lighting it with a lighter and sucking, drawing smoke clearly into the lungs and he seems to do it with some accomplishment," said Mr Rees.

 

"It doesn't cause him any discomfort. He is sat on a chair close to the mother, who is talking on the phone.

 

"It is clear that the boy, at the age of three, knows what to do with a lighter and cigarette."

 

The video was forwarded to social services who then referred the matter to the police.

 

In interview, Pocock told officers that she did not appreciate the fact that her son was smoking as she was on the telephone.

 

She also told officers that she was "shocked" when the matter was drawn to her attention.

 

After being charged, Pocock entered a guilty plea on the basis that she had not seen her son smoking before and had not been told of the incident underneath the bed by Ms Dudley.

 

Claire Wilks, defending, asked Judge Curran to bear in mind the early guilty plea by her client.

 

"Fortunately time has now passed and in that time the defendant has been able to prove herself both to her children and, perhaps more importantly, their social worker," said Ms Wilks.

 

The court heard she had attended six parenting courses since the incident.

 

Judge Curran said the case was one of the most "extraordinary" he had ever come across.

 

The judge said the boy would not have been able to smoke without discomfort "unless he had acquired a habit".

 

"This is an appalling situation and I don't see how, despite your basis of plea, you could have been unaware of the fact," said Judge Curran.

 

The judge added that while the offence would normally cross the custody threshold, he did not want to cause her children any further emotional harm by separating them from their mother.

 

Apart from the suspended sentence, Judge Curran imposed a 12-month supervision requirement.

 

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/wale...ast/7845771.stm

[Fop 1]

Opinion?

[soccermom 0]

Thats unbelieveable. Totally disgusting. She should be sterilised (and no I don't think thats extreme).

 

Some people do not deserve to have children.

[Kid Dynamite 7560]

A three-year-old boy lit a cigarette butt and smoked it in front of his mother, a court has been told.

 

It was filmed on a mobile and passed to social services by Kelly Marie Pocock's friend, Merthyr Crown Court heard.

 

The friend earlier spotted him smoking a cigarette and said it looked like he had been "smoking for many years".

 

Unlikely

[Toonpack 11220]

A three-year-old boy lit a cigarette butt and smoked it in front of his mother, a court has been told.

 

It was filmed on a mobile and passed to social services by Kelly Marie Pocock's friend, Merthyr Crown Court heard.

 

The friend earlier spotted him smoking a cigarette and said it looked like he had been "smoking for many years".

 

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/wale...ast/7845771.stm

 

 

Well 3 mebe's

 

Edit - that'll teach me not to post before reading the whole thread

Edited January 23, 2009 by Toonpack

[Happy Face 29]

Opinion?

 

[Fop 1]

Opinion?

 

 

Jonny doesn't like it when people post stuff like this without expressing an opinion.

 

Although expressing an opinion is equally as wrong too.

[Park Life 71]

See a smoker like me was only wondering what brand it was.

[Tooj 17]

Opinion?

 

 

Jonny doesn't like it when people post stuff like this without expressing an opinion.

 

Although expressing an opinion is equally as wrong too.

I've got to you at last Fop.

[Fop 1]

Opinion?

 

 

Jonny doesn't like it when people post stuff like this without expressing an opinion.

 

Although expressing an opinion is equally as wrong too.

I've got to you at last Fop.

So that is what you were trying to do then? Fair enough, Fop doesn't mind, but it's nice to see that suspicions were correct.

[Tooj 17]

Opinion?

 

 

Jonny doesn't like it when people post stuff like this without expressing an opinion.

 

Although expressing an opinion is equally as wrong too.

I've got to you at last Fop.

So that is what you were trying to do then? Fair enough, Fop doesn't mind, but it's nice to see that suspicions were correct.

Nothing actually as I don't normally bother getting involved in one of the threads that you normally post in as quite frankly I can't be bothered to read it all. I just wanted to use that smiley really.