A mother who neglected her three under-nourished k
A mother who neglected her three under-nourished kids in their
stinking cockroach-infested home was put on probation today Friday.
A second jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court had heard how when
police officers visited 25-year-old Irene Choudhary’s house in Barking
Road, Plaistow, they found dirty nappies on the floor and insects
amongst remains of food in the fridge.
They convicted Choudhary – born in Oldham and educated in
Bangladesh – of three counts of child cruelty between December 1990
and July last year.
The charges related to her eight-year-old son and two daughters,
aged three and four.
A retrial had been ordered after a first jury were deadlocked and
unable to reach verdicts.
Judge Anthony Bradbury followed the recommendations of a pre-
sentence report in putting Choudhary on probation for two years –
making the order concurrent on each charge.
The court had heard that during 1990 Choudhary had been warned by
a social worker not to leave her young children unaccompanied at home.
Mr Andrew Campbell, prosecuting, said that following that a
neighbour had contacted Newham Social Services on four separate
occasions to voice her concern for their welfare.
And on July 21 last year the three youngsters – who had again
been left on their own – were persuaded to go next door for something
to eat.
Mr Campbell continued: ‘They were not hungry – they were
absolutely ravenous.
‘
Counsel said that Choudhary had not been there for some time.
‘Her house stank and it stank of decay, as if food was going off
– it was all very unpleasant.
‘
Mr Campbell said that the childrens’ appearance was ‘appalling’
while the youngest girl was wearing a nappy which had not been changed
for days.
Police were called and soon afterwards Choudhary arrived.
Counsel described the house as: ‘Simply not fit for human
habitation.
Lying on the floor there was a soiled nappy with a lot of
flies.
‘There were remains of food infested with cockroaches.
‘
The jury were told of insects amongst what little food there was
in the fridge.
The house which was in a ‘disgusting condition’ stank of urine
while there appeared to be excrement smeared on one of the walls.
The three children were later examined by a police doctor and
were found to be under-nourished while their clothing was described as
‘minimal and inadequate.
‘
During the trial Choudhary, who spoke through a Bengali
interpreter, claimed that she fed her children regularly and cleaned
the house once a day.
She said that she often complained to her local council about
flies as well as the state her furniture was in.
Choudhary had maintained that when she went shopping a Sikh
neighbour looked after the youngsters.
The court was told that the children were now in the care of
their father and the defendant is allowed access to them up to three
times a week.
ENDS
