The mother pleaded guilty to two counts of ill-treating a child when she appeared at Swansea Magistrates Court
A MUM who left her young children home alone on Christmas Eve — naked and without food but with the electric fire burning and amphetamines in the open microwave in the kitchen — has avoided jail.
Magistrates said the consequences of what could have happened to the two youngsters were "unbelievable".
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Justices said the incident was so serious it crossed the custody threshold — but that it was in the interests of the children and the woman that she not be sent straight to prison.
The children were found at lunchtime on December 24 — unclothed and cold — by a PCSO who had gone to the street in Neath where the family lived on an unrelated matter.
The officer called for backup but it wasn't until that evening that the mother returned to the address and could be questioned by officers.
The woman — who cannot be named to protect the identity of the two children — had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of ill-treating or neglecting a child and to one count of possessing the Class B drug when she appeared at Swansea Magistrates Court for sentencing.
Nick Devonald, for the woman, said the incident had been a "wake up call" for this client who was now determined to show she could be a "positive member of society and a good mother".
He asked the magistrates to suspend any sentence of imprisonment they handed down.
Barry Arnold, chairman of the bench, told the woman: "You left two children naked and cold on Christmas Eve and with no food — they were playing outside in the mud.
"An electric fire had been left on, and there were drugs in the microwave with the door left open.
"The consequences of leaving two young children alone with drugs and an electric fire on are unbelievable.
"The bench is very upset about this."
The woman was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison suspended for 18 months, and she was ordered to complete a rehabilitation course.
A forfeiture and destruction order was made for the amphetamines found in the microwave.
The chairman added: "This is not a freebie — this is a harsh sentence."
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