Child minder tells police 'I'm going to admit it' after shocked parent's discovery

A babysitter who neglected the in her care said she would "hold up her hands and admit it" after she was arrested by , a court has heard.

Minshull Street Crown Court heard that Andrea Ward, a registered childminder from Tottington in Bury, Greater Manchester, abandoned a "crying infant" strapped into a car seat at her home. The 63-year-old, who came "highly recommended" to the parents, left the infant for 25 minutes as she went out with other children. But she was spotted by a parent who was left "shocked" after she asked Ward where her child was.

reports prosecutor Lisa Boocock told the court Ward was seen with two children in a buggy and another who was walking. The mum was left "shocked" when she was told by Ward that her child, who was not one of the three, was at home with her daughter.

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The mum didn't know the defendant's daughter, and had not given permission for her to look after her child. She then insisted on going to Ward's home, but the daughter was in the shower. Ward admitted she had left the baby on their own, although she claimed it was only for five minutes, the court was told.

The defendant said she had encountered difficulties because children were 'slipping around'. Police were called and Ward was arrested, telling officers: "I'm going to hold my hands up and admit it."

She described a 'stupid error'. During her police interview, Ward admitted there may have been an occasion when she left the baby unattended the week before also.

The admission prompted further police investigation which established she had left the baby unattended for about 25 minutes, not five, and that she had neglected two other infants in a similar way.

Giving evidence in court, the mother of the child said her baby had been 'completely and utterly reliant' on Ward. The woman said there was 'nothing more precious than a child' and that her baby 'would have been aware' she had been left alone and that 'no-one was answering her cries'.

The baby had been exposed to 'unimaginable risk', she said, adding that her infant had been restrained in a car seat while Ward was absent and while a dog was in the house. The incident had made her feel 'physically sick', she said.

She said the neglect had happened 'on more than one occasion' and that Ward had 'repeatedly lied' about her behaviour. Her infant's neglect had been 'the stuff of nightmares'. She said her daughter now cries every time she is put in her car seat as it was a 'reminder' of the trauma.

The mother of a second infant Ward neglected, aged around 15 months at the time, told the court: "She promised us she would never make him feel abandoned, yet she did exactly that." The mother of a third neglected baby, who was eight months old at the time, said she 'felt betrayed as I genuinely trusted her'.

She said she became suspicious when she saw Ward out with other children but not her baby son. She said the defendant had 'selfishly put money before children'.

The mother said she accepted at first the defendant's claim that it was a 'genuine one off mistake' but now believes her baby had been left 'screaming' on his own. "That breaks my heart," she said, describing the defendant's conduct as 'disgusting'. Ward, she said, was 'not remorseful' and had 'lied to my face', she said.

Daniel Caulder, defending, said: "Nothing I say is intended to minimise nor to excuse and certainly not to justify the shameful criminal behaviour of Andrea Ward." The barrister said his client had used the word 'shameful' in a letter to the judge.

"She feels ashamed of what she's done and ashamed of a gross betrayal of trust she's perpetrated not only against the parents who trusted their child into her care but a betrayal of children who cannot speak for themselves," said Mr Caulder.

He went on that his client apologised to the parents but she was not expecting them to accept her apology.

Married for 22 years with two daughters and her first grandchild in the way, the barrister said his client now worked 'in customer services' and would never return to child minding.

Judge Jason MacAdam told the defendant the parents were 'right to feel betrayed' and were 'responsible hard-working people'. The judge continued: "Most of us in this room of a certain age have had children and we all know the difficulties of having young children and balancing work and life."

Judge MacAdam said the defendant had 'put convenience and prioritised your own needs above the welfare of the children you care for', adding that she had 'downplayed' her behaviour to the parents and 'betrayed their trust'.

Ward, of Bury Road in Tottington, who has no previous convictions, was handed a 12-month prison sentence suspended 24 months for after she admitted three charges of child neglect. She was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £150 towards prosecution costs.