A mother who suffocated her newborn baby and left his body in woodland only to be arrested 25 years later has been given a suspended prison sentence after admitting manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. Passing sentence at Liverpool Crown Court, Mrs Justice Eady told Sharkey she was "satisfied that this very sad case calls for compassion". Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
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00:00And I am clear that you suffered a lengthy post-natal depression that, as the psychiatrists
00:06agree, substantially reduced your ability to think rationally and substantially weakened
00:11your ability to exercise self-control.
00:17The prosecution has pointed to elements of your conduct that could nevertheless suggest
00:22a degree of competence, control or determination in how the killing might have been carried
00:28out and in how you disposed of the body.
00:31The real question is whether appropriate punishment can only be achieved by a term of immediate
00:36custody.
00:39Having carefully considered this issue, I am satisfied that this very sad case calls
00:46for compassion.
00:48No useful purpose would be achieved by immediate imprisonment, and I consider that appropriate
00:54punishment can be achieved by a custodial term that is suspended.