A PASSERBY found a drunk woman slumped in a car and a young child in distress and crying in the back. 

The woman, who cannot be named in order to prevent the child's identity, was spotted in the driver’s seat of the vehicle, which had all its windows steamed up whilst stationary on Tollcross Road on January 23, 2022.

At 4pm, someone walked by and noticed the woman. The person didn’t realise anyone else was in the car and kept walking.

But 20 minutes later, a man, who noticed the car’s engine was running, knocked on the window after seeing the woman slumped in the driver's seat with her arm on the passenger seat. After he knocked, a dog began to bark, but there was no response from the woman.

At Glasgow Sheriff Court this month, the prosecutor said: “The man became aware that there was a child crying within the back seat of the vehicle.

“He could only see the child’s foot because of the condensation of the windows. The child was distressed and crying.

“The man tried to arise the accused but no matter how hard he knocked, the accused did not respond. He contacted 999 for an ambulance and was advised by the call handler to check on the accused.

“Upon opening the car door, the accused was slurring her speech and he was unable to understand what was being said.

“The accused moved her foot pushing down on the accelerator, however, the car was in neutral and did not move but the engine revved up.”

The man turned the engine of the car off, took the keys out and placed them on the woman's lap.

At 4.30pm, an ambulance crew arrived and found her still slumped in the driver’s seat.

Police were contacted. When officers arrived, they noticed the child did not have any socks or shoes on and was cold to touch. There were no nappy changing facilities or supplies in the car. 

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The woman told them: “I have had a drink, that’s all”.

The 39-year-old appeared in court for sentencing after being charged with driving a car whilst unfit through drink or drugs.

She was also charged with wilfully neglecting the child she was responsible for at the time by failing to provide them with adequate clothing, leaving them sitting in a car for a period of time in cold conditions and did drive or attempt to drive a car in which the child was in while she was intoxicated, exposing them to risk of accident or injury.

Her lawyer said the matter was “very serious”.

He added: “She shows remorse and embarrassment. She is mortified. She accepts full responsibility and advises the social work she was foolish and irresponsible and will never forgive herself.

“This is an out of character incident. She works full-time.

“She was using alcohol as a coping mechanism at the time but has abstained from alcohol since the date of this offence. 

“She has one previous conviction which is analogous. I would be inviting you to consider a community payback order.”

Sheriff Bernard Ablett ordered the woman, of North East Glasgow, to carry out 117 hours of unpaid work, and be under social work supervision for a year.

She was disqualified from driving for 18 months.