The case of a Pembroke woman charged with ill-treating and neglect of a child will be heard at Swansea Crown Court next month.

The defendant who cannot be named due to reporting restrictions with a court order passed to protect the identity of the child, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Tuesday to admit a charge of exposing the child to conditions likely to cause him unnecessary suffering or affect his health over a period of time between June 7, 2019 and February 7 of this year.

Prosecutor Vaughan Pritchard-Jones told the court that police had received information regarding a young boy living in ‘insanitary conditions’ and when they went to the premises they could only enter the the property through a 20 cm gap due to the amount of rubbish on the floor blocking the doorway.

He explained that police found the property’s floor almost a foot deep in rubbish.

It was covered in cat faeces, and there was a dead dog laying on the floor of the kitchen covered in maggots and cobwebs that had appeared to have been left to starve.

“The boy’s bedroom was a mess, as well as the defendant’s which was full of empty wine boxes,” said Mr. Pritchard-Jones.

“The toilet was full of human faeces, and there was water in the sink that had scummy bits floating in it. The only food found in the fridge was a packet of coleslaw past it’s sell by date.

“The child said that he hadn’t had a wash for some time as there was no hot water in the property.

“The boy has been taken into foster care and his future will clearly be determined by the civil courts,” continued Mr. Pritchard-Jones, who invited magistrates to send the matter to Crown Court, due to the insufficient sentencing powers of the court.

Magistrates instructed the defendant who was released on unconditional bail to appear at Swansea Crown Court on March 27 for a further hearing.