Couple admit child neglect after home covered in dog faeces
A Wolverhampton couple have admitted neglecting three children after police found dog faeces covering floors and even a windowsill in their home.
Police and social services visited the home in 2017 and noticed an 'extremely offensive odour' when the door was opened, Walsall Magistrates' Court heard.
Miss Helen Shipley, prosecuting, said the pair, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were 'not particularly cooperative' and were abusive.
She added: "The father said he would let them in after five minutes. The officer looked through the window and saw two large dogs in the living room, and the dog was covered in dog faeces that also appeared to be on the windowsill as the dogs were jumping up.
"There were also two large dogs in the back garden. The officer described the home as appalling throughout, the stench of the faeces was extremely potent, the kitchen was filthy, with dirty cutlery and there was no food in the fridge bar mouldy cheese containing dead flies."
The officer said that upstairs there was a room with a mattress on the floor and the room was 'cluttered and dirty', and in another room there was bunkbeds and one bed was 'filthy' while the other was clean, according to Miss Shipley.
She said the father explained the mess was because he had lost his home and moved in with the mother with all his belongings and that they have since cleaned the home.
Mr David Dorrance, defending the pair, said that the couple were trying to re-home some of the dogs and that the smell was from a cracked sewage pipe due to problems with the house.
He added: "They have since redecorated and the sewage pipe has been repaired.
"Things have moved on and now there are no difficulties."
The pair both admitted three charges - one for each of the three children - and the case will return to Walsall Magistrates' Court on February 8 after probation reports have been written.
