A cruel childminder faces jail after today (MON) a

A cruel childminder faces jail after today (MON) admitting she bit a baby boy so hard she left teeth marks in the tot’s arm.

Geraldine Rama, 37, had been caring for the baby for five months when she claims she hurt the boy during a bizarre ‘biting game.

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But the incident became a nightmare for the baby’s distraught family as the finger of suspicion was first pointed at them.

They watched helplessly as the baby was for a time fostered and placed on the ‘at risk’ register for three months, Blackfriars Crown Court heard.

Rama admitted admitted assaulting the 10-month-old child on August 7, 2001 (correct) occasioning actual bodily harm.

Police confirmed that the baby – who cannot be named for legal reasons – also suffered two broken legs but charges have never been laid because of the difficulty in proving who was responsible.

But two experts using forensic dental testing techniques showed how the red bruising on the child’s left arm matched the defendant’s bite.

Judge Richard Walker, who described the case as a ‘very sad business’, ordered pre-sentence reports to be prepared.

The judge granted Rama bail on condition she reside at Abercrombie House, the White City Estate, West London.

‘You need to understand that somebody guilty of an offence of this nature against a child stands a real risk of being sent to prison,’ he warned.

‘That is a real possibility in your case whatever the report may say.

‘My mind remains entirely open.

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In a basis of plea read to the court, Rama said: ‘I wish to plead guilty to actual bodily harm.

‘I was reckless in causing the injury to the baby, I had poor sight of the possibility of injury.

the injury was caused playing a game.

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Sarah Le Foe, prosecuting, said when interviewed at Hammersmith Police Station the defendant described playing a game she variously called the ‘Salt and Pepper Game’, the ‘Biting Game’, and the ‘Monster Game.

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Miss Le Foe added: ‘It involved her nibbling the child’s arm.

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In interview the defendant could not say whether she had bitten the baby or not and was not sure whether she caused marks.

The court heard the Crown could not say whether ‘anything worse’ had been inflicted on the baby.

Rama had been looking after the baby for five months before the incident.

Each morning he would be taken from his home in East Acton to the childminder by his father and collected each afternoon by his mother.

On the evening of the attack, the restless baby had been taken out for a walk by his older sister and some of her friends.

But the mother noticed the mark as she changed her little son.

‘She noticed a mark on his left arm which looked like a bite mark,’ said Miss Le Foe.

‘Having seen the mark, the mother telephoned Rama, who said she did not notice any mark.

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The next day the baby was first taken to his GP and then referred to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.

A lengthy police investigation followed and Rama was not arrested until July last year.

Miss Le Foe said the family went through the ‘unpleasant experience’ of being suspected of causing the injury.

‘Initially he was placed on the at risk register and one of the most serious consequences as far as the family were concerned, initially he was not allowed to return to his parents.

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The barrister added: ‘The mother found it very difficulty to accept.

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Judge Walker commented: ‘It is an appalling situation, for which she deserves great sympathy.

‘It was done perfectly properly, but one of the consequences is that the family had to go through that unpleasant experience against a background of denial by the defendant.

‘The awful truth is that in many many cases where something has happened, the finger of suspicion may rightly be pointed at the family, even though in this case they were totally innocent.

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Miss Le Foe said a dental expert concluded the bite mark had ‘certain characteristics reflected in the teeth of Rama’.

The expert was able to exclude the baby’s parents, his sister and three friends, and Rama’s two children.

She said another expert said ‘it was only Rama’s dental impression that matched in size, shape and individual characteristics.

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The court heard both experts agreed the injury ‘would have been painful and would have required some biting force.

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As a result the childminder was formerly charged on August 22, last year, more than a year after the incident.

The 44-year-old mother of the youngster said the incident became a ‘terrifying nightmare’ for the family.

She said when her son’s thighs were found to be broken she feared he might be paralysed.

‘The police and social services thought he might have been shaken or dropped at first.

He was kept in hospital for a week under police protection.

‘We were under 24 hour surveillance at the hospital.

It was horrendous.

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She added: ‘I thought they were never going to give me my baby back.

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The initial investigation was halted because of a lack of evidence but the mother, backed by her MP Clive Soley, pressed for more detective work.

The forensic dentists were called in and finally the childminder was arrested.

The mother said she was concerned that Rama could have injured other children in their care and was determined to seek out the truth.

‘She should not be allowed to look after children after what she did to my baby.

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It was a sentiment shared by the judge.

If he jails Rama for 12 months or more he can order she ‘never be allowed to have anything to do with children again.

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Judge Walker said: ‘I hope social services will make it their business to make sure she has nothing to do with children again anyway.

‘I would like to be told (at the next hearing) what social services are doing or have done regarding this lady’s activities in childminding.

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