Neglect Woman Asks To Be Jailed

A heroin addict has been jailed for three months for leaving a child locked in an empty house and starving him for 24 hours. Rebecca Brister told Sheriff Robert McCreadie she wanted to be locked up to receive help for her addiction.

Brister, of Newhouse Road, Perth, admitted wilfully abandoning the child at a Perth address on 7 February and a £19 taxi fraud the same day. Sheriff McCreadie told her: “I hope you make good use of your time in prison.”

Brister had also admitted having heroin with intent to supply it from her home in September last year, alongside a possession charge in November 2005. Perth Sheriff Court heard that on the morning of 7 February, Brister ordered a taxi to various places around Perth before telling the driver she had no money to pay for it.

Fiscal depute Vicki Bell said she was traced and interviewed later that afternoon and told police she had left an eight-year-old boy alone and unsupervised. “Access could not be gained to the house because the accused did not have keys,” said Miss Bell.

“She stated she had left earlier that day by jumping out of the window. The eight-year-old boy was spoken to through the letterbox and found to be watching TV. Police arranged for a joiner to attend and they forced entry.”

The court heard the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said he had not eaten for the previous 24 hours. Despite this, Miss Bell said the boy was unharmed.

Defence solicitor Paul Ralph said: “The nature of the charge shows the depth she has sunk to. She hopes to take advantage of a detox programme.”

Sheriff McCreadie said the situation was “unusual” in that Brister wanted to be jailed. “I have considered what you yourself have indicated,” he said.