SUCCESSFUL CHILD CRUELTY PROSECUTION

Jane Osborne KC leading Nicholas Alexander successfully prosecuted the mother of a child with cerebral palsy of two counts of child cruelty. Counsel were instructed by the Crown Prosecution Service London South.

The jury were sure that the mother both interfered with the feeding machine that was providing her daughter with nutrition whilst she was in hospital and carried out acts intended to lead the medical staff to over hydrate her daughter.  Due to the nature of the acts of cruelty the case involved complex medical evidence from an expert paediatric gastroenterologist which had to be simplified to ensure that the entire picture was clear for the jury and they understood the potentially fatal consequences from the actions of the defendant.

 The defendant was remanded in custody and will be sentenced in October.