Baby Rescued From Needle-Strewn Drug Den

A toddler who was under the supervision of social workers in Perth had to be rescued from a needle-strewn drugs den by police officers.

The 20-month-old girl was discovered surrounded by used needles and a few feet away from a collapsed drug addict.

Perth Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday how the girl was found when the emergency services were called to help a prone heroin addict.

The court was further told that the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been involved with social workers from the day she was born.

Mark Neil, who was looking after the child on March 25, 2008, has admitted wilfully exposing a child to unnecessary suffering.

Fiscal depute Lucy Keane described the scene in which the girl was found.

Ms Keane said: “The police were called to a suspected overdose of another male at the address.

“They found several needles in the child’s bedroom, together with other drug effects including burnt tinfoil containing heroin.

“There were more needles in other rooms and the officers also found bloodstained gloves. In the opinion of the officers they were all within easy reach of the child.”

Miss Keane added: “The child had been involved with social services since her birth.”

Neil admitted that, while he was supposed to be looking after the girl, he left numerous hypodermic needles lying around her bedroom.

He also admitted that needles were left scattered throughout other rooms in the house

Officers from Tayside Police attended the flat on March 25, 2008, after being called about someone falling ill after taking drugs on the premises.

When they arrived they found the girl among a number of adults who had been involved in recent heroin abuse.

Neil had sentenced deferred for four months.

Solicitor Billy Somerville, defending, said Neil was already the subject of a court Drug Treatment and Testing Order and was a regular user of heroin-substitute methadone.