Community order for mum who left newborn baby in bin

A mother who admitted leaving her newborn baby in a bin has been spared a prison sentence.

Orsolya-Anamaria Balogh, 27, was handed a community order after she pleaded guilty to attempted infanticide.

Liverpool Crown Court heard her baby was found in a bin in a toilet cubicle at Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Wigan on July 5 2016.

Balogh had gone to the hospital's accident and emergency department with her partner complaining of abdominal pain at about 7.40pm that day, but had told a triage nurse there was no possibility she could be pregnant.

The court heard at about 8.30pm she went into a toilet cubicle and remained there until just after 10pm, when she left the hospital.

Cleaning staff found the baby, with his umbilical cord cut and tissues stuffed into his mouth, at about 11.40pm.

The newborn was given oxygen and made a full recovery.

Judge Neil Flewitt QC said: "When the baby was discovered he was a dusky blue colour which was indicative of a lack of oxygen.

"It was the opinion of medical staff at the hospital that if the baby had not been found when he had he would have died.

"Thankfully the baby not only survived but is also now thriving."

The judge said Balogh, who is originally from Romania, spent six months in prison while on remand, before being bailed last month.

She had told police she had not known she was pregnant, although police later found internet searches relating to pregnancy and home birth on her computer.

Psychiatric reports showed Balogh was likely to have been in denial about the pregnancy and "dissociating'' from the experience.

Judge Flewitt said: "There is no doubt that your culpability is significantly reduced, albeit not extinguished, by reason of the fact that at the relevant time the balance of your mind was disturbed by the effect of giving birth.''

He gave her a 12-month community order, with requirements to undertake a rehabilitation order and to live in approved premises.

The court heard the baby was in foster care but an application for custody was being made by the father and Balogh had been allowed supervised visits.