COUPLE SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR CHILD NEGLECT IN FORFAR
A neglectful couple has been sentenced to prison after two very young children in their care escaped their deplorable Forfar home at 4:30 a.m.The judge described the couple's behavior as deeply neglectful.
The parents, Scotty Lawson and Christina Milford-Scott, both admitted to charges of wilful neglect dating from August to October 2022.
Lawson, aged 31 from Forfar, confessed to failing to provide a clean living environment, failing to secure the property adequately, allowing children to leave unsupervised during the night, and not dressing them properly.
Milford-Scott, 27 from Filey, admitted to similar neglect and to not providing enough food and clothing.
The court uncovered the appalling living conditions including an infested fridge filled with mold and maggots, chained-off rooms, and walls smeared with faeces.
The children, one wearing only a nappy, wandered the streets in the early morning, with one hugging a police officer’s leg and begging her to take him away.
Police found an additional child in a room filled with urine and faeces, with the property’s door chained and blocked by an ironing board.
Despite the chaos, Lawson and Milford-Scott kept their own bedroom immaculately.
During the police presence, the oldest child tried to eat a piece of potato off the floor but was stopped by the mother.
Both offenders pleaded guilty to the neglect charges, with Lawson receiving a 16-month sentence and Milford-Scott receiving the same, with additional supervision.
Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown condemned both and highlighted the risk of ongoing harm to the children, stressing that their behavior demonstrated a lack of empathy and responsibility.
