Baby given methadone

The BBC reports that a couple who repeatedly gave heroin substitute methadone to their child, have been jailed for child cruelty. The 14 month year old baby later died, after being taken to hospital from her home in Broadwell, Gloucestershire.

Although the report does not specify the charges against the couple, it is probable that they were prosecuted under the Children and Young Persons Act 1933

Section 1(1) of that Act provides:-

“If any person who has attained the age of sixteen years and has responsibility for any child or young person under that age, wilfully assaults, ill-treats, neglects, abandons, or exposes him, or causes or procures him to be assaulted, ill-treated, neglected, abandoned, or exposed, in a manner likely to cause him unnecessary suffering or injury to health (including injury to or loss of sight, or hearing, or limb, or organ of the body, and any mental derangement), that person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be liable— (a)on conviction on indictment, to a fine . . . or alternatively, . . . or in addition thereto, to imprisonment for any term not exceeding ten years;(b)on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding £400 pounds, or alternatively, . . . or in addition thereto, to imprisonment for any term not exceeding six months.”