COUPLE GUILTY OF CHILD NEGLECT
A COUPLE had two children sleeping in a house with bottles of methadone and dozens of syringes within their easy reach.Police found 35 uncapped needles and bottles of the heroin substitute within the Greenock home shared by John Macauley and Lesley Ann McQuillan.
Greenock Sheriff Court heard two girls under six were sleeping in a bedroom when officers, acting on information that drugs were present, smashed their way into the property.
As well as the exposed syringes within the bathroom and bedroom, police reported a general state of poor hygiene throughout the property in Gilmour Street.
Depute fiscal John Penman described the scene uncovered by police following the raid.
He said: "Plain-clothed officers entered with a warrant around 7.40am.
Two girls were asleep in a bedroom at the time, and a search was carried out.
The property was found to be in a state of poor hygiene, with juice bottles, cans, cigarette ends and dirty plates strewn all over.
A number of uncapped needles, approximately 35 in total, were recovered from a bedroom and bathroom.
Methadone bottles were also discovered within the dwelling." Macauley, now of John Street, and McQuillan, of Gilmour Street, both Greenock, admitted wilfully exposing the two children to the methadone and needles, in a manner likely to cause them unnecessary suffering or injury to their health.
The pair also admitted keeping the property in an unhygienic state, to the risk of injury and to the endangerment of the children's health, all on 28 June.
They were represented in court on Friday by defence solicitors Gerry Keenan and Aidan Gallagher.
Mr Keenan told the court there had been 'marked improvements' in the lifestyles of both accused, according to social work staff, who are now involved.
Mr Gallagher added: "There was no suggestion the children were left alone within the property while these items were present." Sheriff Vincent Canavan continued the case for background reports until the end of December.
Both accused were ordained to appear again then.
