A WOMAN left an unattended five-year-old in a Perth hotel room with a hot electric heater near her bed and dangerous items, including an open bottle of alcohol, strewn about, Perth Sheriff Court heard yesterday.

Carrie-Ann Brown (24) of Perth admitted neglecting the child—who cannot be named for legal reasons—in a room in the Waverley Hotel on February 3 last year.

She was placed on probation for two years for the offence, and also jailed for 10 months after pleading guilty to a string of shoplifting and fraud charges.

The court heard how the child was left sleeping in a bed close to the heater, while other electrical items, packets of cigarettes and lighters and sharp items were also within reach.

Depute fiscal John Malpas said heroin addict Brown left the hotel at 10.15pm under the influence of drink or drugs, according to the porter.

He said the witness inquired after the child and the accused said the child was asleep in bed and, whilst it was asleep, she was going out.

“The witness tried to reason with her... the accused ignored her pleas and left,” he said.

“The witness was rightly concerned and made her way to the room and found the child sleeping. The police were called.”

Mr Malpas described the scene they found. The electric heater was plugged in and switched on a short distance from the bed and the child was asleep. There were numerous other electrical items on the floor. There were open packets of cigarettes and lighters scattered about the floor. Knives and other items of cutlery were lying about.

Brown also admitted several instances of shoplifting and fraud in Perth and numerous breaches of bail.

Last year she stole a handbag and contents, including £65, from St John’s Shopping Centre on March 2, hair accessories from a shop in the centre on March 27, and clothing from Asda on November 16.

On December 1, 2005, she obtained two Debenhams gift cards worth £100 and £200 by fraud from staff and attempted to gain another worth £100.

She had a plea of not guilty to stealing a pair of new boots and a receipt from the Thistle Tavern on November 17 accepted, but admitted taking boots and a receipt back to the Original Shoe Company in High Street and obtaining £120 by fraud by getting a refund on the boots.

On January 26 this year, she stole two jackets from British Home Stores, breaching a bail condition banning her from St John’s Centre as she did so.

Despite a four-page letter from Brown insisting she is turning her life around, Sheriff Fletcher said, “I consider that series of offences merits a custodial sentence, but I’m impressed by the efforts made to try and get rid of your drug problem.”