PAUL MAIN AND VICTORIA MORGAN FROM COLNE AND EARBY SENTENCED FOR CHILD NEGLECT AND ABUSE

In a harrowing case that unfolded at Burnley Crown Court, a young child named Keiron, just 15 months old, was found to be in a critically neglected state due to the reckless actions of his parents, Paul Main and Victoria Morgan. The court heard that Keiron was discovered suffering from severe health issues, including kidney failure, advanced liver damage, and intracranial bleeding. These life-threatening conditions were the result of prolonged neglect and abuse inflicted by his own parents, who were under the influence of heroin at the time.

Paul Main, aged 22 and residing on Bright Street in Colne, showed a disturbing level of indifference towards his son's suffering. The court was told that Main’s primary concern during the child's emergency was obtaining drugs rather than caring for the child's urgent medical needs. When Keiron was rushed into intensive care, Main was more interested in scoring heroin than ensuring his child's safety. The infant was found to be in a dire state: blue due to oxygen deprivation, dehydrated, cold, filthy, and with bruised and sunken eyes. His skin was raw and covered in dirt and excrement, indicating neglect of basic hygiene and care.

Remarkably, Keiron survived after being resuscitated, and although he has shown signs of recovery, he continues to suffer from seizures and developmental concerns. Despite these ongoing issues, he appeared to have made some progress. The court was told that the child had been subjected to physical abuse, including being slapped, shaken, and even grabbed by the throat. Main was accused of smothering Keiron in an attempt to silence him when he cried, and he was also observed slamming the child against Victoria Morgan’s chest when the baby was not making noise. Morgan, aged 19 and from Earby, was also implicated in the abuse, having fed the infant beef crisps and failing to provide proper care.

Prosecutor Richard Howarth detailed the disturbing circumstances surrounding the child's neglect. The couple was known to lead a nomadic lifestyle, moving several times before Keiron’s birth in December 2000. Witnesses observed Main sharing drugs with Morgan in the same room as the infant, who was kept in a pram. When Keiron cried, Main was heard shouting threats to silence him, including a comment about blowing heroin in his face. Both parents were seen physically abusing the child: Main slapped him repeatedly, and Morgan was caught lifting him by the throat and shaking him. On one occasion, Keiron was left outside a shop for ten minutes on a cold, wet day, and at just five weeks old, Morgan was seen feeding him beef crisps, a clear sign of neglect.

Further distress was caused when Main’s mother arrived in early February and found her grandson in a deplorable state—wet, smelly, and with a greyish complexion. She believed the child was near death. Witnesses described the infant as drenched, freezing cold, and struggling to breathe, with some fearing he was dying. Main reportedly told Morgan she could take the child to hospital while he went out to buy heroin. When Keiron was finally taken to hospital, medical staff believed he had not been fed or cared for at least 48 hours and was on the brink of death. He was immediately transferred to the paediatric intensive care unit at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

During the trial, Anthony Cross, representing Main, described the case as a revolting example of child abuse, emphasizing that Main was fully aware of the severity of his actions. The court was told that neither defendant was fit to be parents, and that their neglect was evident to anyone observing the situation. The case was marred by a sense of hypocrisy, as no witnesses or those who saw the abuse reported it to authorities, social services, or the child’s grandmother.

Victoria Morgan, who claimed she was not using drugs and was concerned about Main’s controlling behavior, was also found guilty of cruelty. She had previously been imprisoned for her involvement in the situation. The court sentenced Main to two and a half years in prison for cruelty and assault, while Morgan received a nine-month sentence for her role in the neglect.

Judge Raymond Bennett described the case as dreadful and stated that the cause of the child's injuries was immaterial to the severity of the neglect and abuse. The case highlights the tragic consequences of drug addiction and parental neglect, with the young victim’s life hanging in the balance due to the reckless actions of his parents from Colne and Earby.