Childminder neglected three-year-old boy with ‘dirty and vile' jibes at play centre

Victoria Aldridge and an assistant took six children to the nursery in the Harworth area, on November 11, where a witness saw "concerning behaviour" which she later reported to Ofsted, said prosecutor Alexis Mercer.

When the little boy mentioned he’d wet himself, Aldridge called him “vile, dirty and disgusting,” and said: “You have now got to sit in your wet pants. You’re big enough to tell me when you need a wee.”

The witness saw her grab him by the arm, roughly pull his limbs and push his head down so he was sitting partially under the table, while “constantly telling him he was dirty and vile.”

Both childminders let the boy sit on the floor for 20 minutes.

“It was absolutely heartbreaking to witness the child being spoken to in that way and constantly being told he was dirty,” said the witness.

In a statement, the boy's mother said she was “angry, upset and helpless” for “trusting this woman with her most precious gift,” and “feels guilty at missing the signs of her bad behaviour”.

She said her son wets himself more frequently, suffers night terrors and “sits under the table when he thinks he has done something wrong.”

Duncan Phillips, mitigating, said Aldridge is of previous good character and the other childminder wasn’t prosecuted.

Her victim was also seen enjoying himself and playing with other children later the same day, he said.

He said the neglect issue was “a complete misjudgement and it shouldn't have happened,” but it was “certainly a shock for my client to imagine any lasting effects.”

"She accepts her behaviour was not just inappropriate but unlawful,” Mr Phiilips said, adding the prosecution was a “distressing and humiliating experience” which will mean the end of her career.

He said character references showed “this is completely out of character”.

Aldridge, 50, of Lower Pasture, Finningley, Doncaster, admitted neglecting the child and causing unnecessary suffering.

Imposing a six month sentence, suspended for 12 months, the presiding magistrate told her: “We believe it is a one-off and there is a good prospect of your rehabilitation.”