Social workers find Doncaster toddler's bedroom covered in faeces as parents avoid jail for child neglect

A mother and father sobbed in the dock as they avoided jail on child neglect charges.
Darren Stanley and Kerry Rybak outside Sheffield Crown Court following the hearing. Picture: George Torr/The Star & Free PressDarren Stanley and Kerry Rybak outside Sheffield Crown Court following the hearing. Picture: George Torr/The Star & Free Press
Darren Stanley and Kerry Rybak outside Sheffield Crown Court following the hearing. Picture: George Torr/The Star & Free Press

Kerry Rybak, 27, and Darren Stanley, 26, both from Bentley, Doncaster, let their home get into such a state, their two-year-old's bedroom walls were covered in faeces.

Judge Sarah Wright said their two-year-old child showed signs of 'emotional and physical' neglect in the 'awful' case.

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But the judge handed down suspended sentences citing the parents' troubled upbringings of their own.

Both must take part in a rehabilitation order.

Sheffield Crown Court heard Doncaster Council social workers entered the property in Bentley because Rybak was pregnant and had 'not made sufficient contact' with social services.

Ian West, prosecuting, said the two-year-old in question, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found wandering around the house in a 't-shirt with no nappy on' and the downstairs of the home was in a 'state'.

"From the initial assessment, social workers became increasingly concerned and followed up an inspection of the house," Mr West said.

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"The child's bedroom was scarce and in a disgusting state with faeces on the walls.

"It's inferred from the photos and the inadequacies of the defendants, this was ongoing for some time."

Mr West added the pair were not 'nasty or sadistic' in relation to the child.

The court heard social workers contacted the police and both were interviewed and made admissions they 'couldn't cope'.

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The child was 'below average’ in terms of its development and was subsequently taken into care along with the newborn baby which was born some months later.

Rachael Hughes, defending Amazon warehouse worker Stanley, said he was 'severely bullied at school, 'dropped out aged 14' and was 'abused' as a child.

Ms Hughes said Stanley had told the probation service that 'no punishment can match the sadness of having my child taken away' and he 'realised the seriousness of the offence'.

Richard Veni, defending Rybak, said: "She never had a father and left school with no qualifications.

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"She said to me that she tried to turn to people but found she couldn't. She now accepts she could've spoken to social services.

"Taking her children away is punishment in itself."

Sentencing the pair, Judge Wright said: "There was no real support from the family and it is very clear you struggled to be parents.

"You reached the conclusion that you couldn't care for your children."

Rybak and Stanley, who sobbed throughout the hearing, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing.

Judge Wright handed the pair 16 months in prison, suspended for two years.