Cruel Leeds couple 'chose alcohol' over their toddler before drink-drive smash in which car burst into flames

The three-year-old did not suffer any serious injuries in the smash on the evening of April 16 of last year, but his father behind the wheel was found to be almost three times over the legal limit.

Leeds Crown Court heard that social services had already been involved with the couple over their use of drink and drugs. Indeed, the day after the crash, the couple from east Leeds were arrested after spending the afternoon drinking in the pub.

The pair, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the child, both admitted neglecting a child which caused unnecessary suffering or injury.

Judge Mushtaq Khokhar told them: “It's miraculous that none of you sustained a serious injury or a fatality. Most people would be terrified after that accident and being over the limit, but both of you go the pub the next day and drink for nearly five hours.

“It clearly displays your preference to alcohol rather than the safety of your child. Alcohol came first.”

Prosecuting the case, Giles Bridge said the local authority had been alerted to the couple and their heavy drinking while in charge of their baby as far back as 2019. The family went to a hotel in Yeadon on April 16 last year, where they spent the afternoon drinking.

They then got in the father’s car at around 7pm and began driving along the A660 towards Bramhope. A motorcyclist on the same stretch of road witnessed the vehicle swerving and said he could even hear the couple arguing.

The father then lost control of the car, which spun and slammed into a wall. The car then caught fire after all three were able to free themselves. The flames were so fierce that the car was reduced to its metal frame, Mr Bridge said.

The mother and child left the scene before they could be seen by the emergency services, but the father required medical assistance, despite becoming aggressive towards officers. A test found him to have 235 mlgs of alcohol in 100 mls of blood. The legal limit is 80 mlgs.

The couple were arrested at the woman’s home the next day, after they had been in the pub all afternoon. Despite admitting the cruelty charge, there were claims that a child seat was present at the time of the crash but had melted in the blaze. This was due to be determined in court today during a trial of issue, but the claim was not pursued and their case was moved to sentence.

The court heard that their child had since been taken from them, and is to be adopted.

Mitigating for the 42-year-old mother, who wept through the hearing, Michael Walsh said she accepts the child’s pending adoption was a “direct result of her actions”. He said she has hopes of reversing the decision.

For the 37-year-old father, Tom Jackson said: “It’s a sentence in itself with what has happened with the child, it’s had an impact on him.”

The pair were both given 18 months’ jail, suspended for two years, given alcohol treatment requirements and rehabilitation requirement days.