Ref. 30926-59 Posed by modelTWO young children were left strapped in their high chairs all day and covered in faeces after their father left them in the care of a homeless alcoholic while he went out drinking.

The father, who was responsible for caring for them while their mother went out to work, left them with a drunk who had been thrown out of Davis House, Swindon magistrates heard yesterday. They imposed a 12-month community rehabilitation order.

By the time their mother saw them the little boys, then aged one and two, were covered in their own faeces and sitting in urine-soaked nappies. They hadn't been fed since the morning, said prosecutor Richard Thomas.

The man, who had denied two charges of cruelty to a child, but was convicted, was ordered to go on a Think First programme and pay £75 court costs.

Magistrates were told the mother only discovered her partner was in the pub when she telephoned him later in the day.

He reassured her that a friend was looking after the children, but when she went round to the house she was shocked by what she found.

"He was a mess and the house stank," said Mr Thomas.

She went in to find the children still in their high chairs, sitting in wringing wet nappies and covered in filth. Two bowls with the remains of their breakfast cereal were the only sign they had been fed.

Her own father, who had gone with her to the house, called her partner and told him to come home while she cleaned up the boys and collected their clothes. When they left, the man had still not returned home. In a police interview the 39-year-old unemployed man, who is not being identified for legal reasons, admitted he found it difficult to cope with the children.

On November 13 last year he had put them in their high chairs in front of the television and told his friend he was going out for cigarettes.

He ended up going to the Job Centre, doing some shopping and then he started drinking.

"He left his friend with no idea what to do," said Mr Thomas.

Anthony Bignall, defending, said there had been domestic problems and the man's partner had left him shortly before the incident. The children had remained with him and she visited them each day.

"He had been left on his own to look after children in circumstances where he wasn't coping and very foolishly he left them with a friend who he realised was unsuitable."

Fortunately it was an isolated incident and the children had suffered no long-term damage. The family was back together and the father was full of remorse.

After the case the man's partner told how he suffered from depression, but had become a completely different person after managing to dry out.

The incident had been a turning point in his life, she told the Advertiser.

"After it happened he was desperate and he drank more because of it. He was suicidal. Then he called me one day and asked if we could meet up and talk things over. He has been dry from that day and that is eight months.

"He isn't the same person at all. He has stopped going out and he spends time with us."

He said: "I regret what I did, but I think there are lots of men like me out there. I was suffering from depression but other people didn't understand."

He paid tribute to family members who had supported him as he struggled to give up alcohol.

"I couldn't have done it without them. When it happened I realised I needed help so I went to SWADS (Swindon and Wiltshire Alcohol and Drug Service) and spent three months in a clinic. " He was currently looking for a job and in the meantime had kept himself occupied by working on his garden.

NSPCC communications manager for the Midlands and West division, Ina Price said: "If a parent or carer fails to meet a child's basic needs such as food and clean, warm clothing, it is neglect." The NSPCC has a 24-hour child protection hotline which is 0808 800 5000.

"If anyone has concerns about the welfare of a child we would urge them to call the NSPCC's 24-hour child protection helpline number on 0808 800 5000."

Tina Clarke