Mum jailed over two-year-old sunburnt boy found with beer can

A young mother, whose badly sunburnt two-year-old child was found with her in a car clutching a can of beer and smelling of alcohol, has been given an eight-month sentence for child cruelty.

The child was taken into care after the incident, which occurred on June 8, 2013, in Ballybunion, Co Kerry, and was subsequently placed with his grandparents who continue to look after him, a court heard.

The case came before Judge James O’Connor at Listowel District Court where the mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was also sentenced to five months’ imprisonment for having a knife with intent to cause injury.