2008: MAN JAILED AFTER BABY SWALLOWS WRAP OF HEROIN
A resident of Brierley Hill received a two-year prison sentence after putting a 10-month-old girl in grave danger by letting her swallow a £5 heroin wrap.John Rollinson, who lives on Bankwell Street, took the young girl to visit a friend known to be addicted to drugs.
During this visit, the toddler managed to take in the illicit substance, which was rolled in cigarette paper.
The 38-year-old faced charges of child cruelty, and it was only after the girl fell seriously ill that Rollinson confessed what had happened.
Her mother took her to Russells Hall Hospital when she noticed the infant had become unresponsive and her lips turned blue.
Thanks to prompt medical care, the girl made a complete recovery, said prosecutor Shane Crawford.
Crawford highlighted that Rollinson had prior convictions for heroin supply and was in charge of the child that day, having met a known drug user.
While inside the friend’s house, the baby was free to move about, and she was observed putting something into her mouth, which she was told might have been the £5 heroin packet.
In response, Rollinson rinsed her mouth with salt water—an action considered dangerous—but when the girl was handed back to her mother, her condition worsened.
At Wolverhampton Crown Court on February 28, Recorder William Davis QC stated that Rollinson should have recognized the danger of drugs in that environment and failed to protect the child.
He noted that a 10-month-old’s natural curiosity could lead her to put objects in her mouth and indicated that Rollinson expressed deep regret for his conduct.
Defence lawyer Wendy Miller said Rollinson accepted he had endangered the child's life, describing his error as a serious lapse in judgment.
She mentioned that once he saw the girl was unwell, he told her mother about the possible heroin ingestion.
The court acknowledged that the girl recovered and regarded the incident as a grave misjudgment on Rollinson’s part.
