A WOMAN pleaded guilty to child neglect after taking heroin while caring for a baby.

Melissa Jane Downey – of St Chad’s Close, Bishop Auckland – already had one conviction for child neglect when she was arrested after being found heavily under the influence of heroin.

Downey, 27, had injected heroin into her arm at Bishop Auckland bus station before taking care of an 18-month-old child.

She was reported to the police after a member of public spotted her clearly impaired while pushing the child around a shop.

Paula Sanderson, prosecuting at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court yesterday, said: “She was under the influence of drugs at a time she had care of a child in a push chair.

“She was unsteady on her feet and a witness subsequently contacted the police who later discovered she had injected heroin prior to taking care of the child.

“She provided a positive test for opiates and amphetamines while in custody and was described as being in an impaired state.

“She said she knew that it left her incapable of taking care of a child and has admitted neglect.”

Downey pleaded guilty to a prior offence of shop theft as well as to a charge of neglecting a child or young person.

She will be sentenced at a later date.