A COUPLE have been given suspended jail sentences for going to the pub late at night leaving their five-year-old son home alone.

The boy jumped from an upstairs window when he became scared by a burglar alarm and broke his foot in the fall, a court was told.

His 45-year-old businessman father and 36-year-old mother had left their home in Bradford believing the child would sleep until their return, Bradford and Keighley magistrates heard yesterday.

The parents, who cannot be identified to protect the boy, were both given 16-week prison sentences suspended for 18 months, and ordered to carry out 300 hours unpaid community work and pay £200 costs each, after they pleaded guilty to abandoning a child on May 2 this year.

Chairman of the Bench, Nancy Crowther, told them they had been selfish and totally culpable for leaving their son.

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Mrs Crowther said the seriousness of the offences had resulted in the boy being removed from their care and social services would have to be satisfied there would be no further occurrences in the future.

She said their family life would be disrupted by their sentences, but that was better than them going to prison.

Prosecutor Frances Pencheon said a neighbour saw the child hobbling in the street and crying hysterically. He was taken to hospital and police forced entry to the house.

His parents returned at 1.10am.

CCTV showed they had left the house at 11.30pm the previous day, after a friend suggested they went to the pub.

They told police they thought the boy would sleep all night. The mother said it was her worst nightmare and displayed genuine upset and regret.

Solicitor Simon Lindley, representing both parents, said that as a result of the incident, social services became involved and they were subject to a voluntary child protection plan. The boy was living with grandparents but the intention was that he would be back at home by the end of July.

Mr Lindley said there had never been any concerns about their parenting abilities and there was only admiration and respect for the way they had looked after their children in the past.

He said not a day went by when they did not consider how their “stupid mistake” caused their son to undergo what happened.

Mr Lindley said: “These are two respected, sensible, responsible parents and workers. They cannot understand, or appreciate, how they have failed their son so badly with regard to this one foolish decision.”

The boy was recovering, he added.