Child born with foetal alcohol syndrome loses UK compensation case

A young child is not entitled to criminal injuries compensation after her mother drank excessively while pregnant, the British Court of Appeal has ruled.

Three appeal judges unanimously ruled: “The central reason is that we have held that a mother who is pregnant and who drinks to excess despite knowledge of the potential harmful consequence to the child of doing so is not guilty of a criminal offence under our law if her child is subsequently born damaged as a result.”