by Paul Hooper

A Cliftonville mum who "laughed and giggled" after her violent lover broke the arm of her child, has been jailed for a year.

The 25 year old – who cannot be named for legal reasons – lied to teachers and doctors about how the toddler received her injuries.

Prosecutor Amhed Hossain told Canterbury Crown Court: "The two were seen to be laughing and giggling with neighbours about the fracture that had been sustained, showing no remorse and saying they hoped they wouldn't be grassed up."

The mother-of-three sat with her head bowed as details of the injuries – and how she claimed the child had fallen accidentally from a bunk bed – were told to the judge.

The court heard how her lover, a 25 year old with a low IQ, had in fact twisted the child's arm up her back when she was misbehaving.

The man – who also cannot be named – was jailed for two and a half years after he was convicting of causing grievous bodily harm and a second assault. He was acquitted on three other charges.

Mr Hossain said the man demonstrated to neighbours of how he broke the child's arms by "standing up and twisting her arm behind her back".

He added: "As a result of the concern from neighbours, medical staff made enquiries and they were told that the story of the fall from the bunk bed was a lie."

The child, who has since made a full recovery, needed a special operation to pin the bone after the attack, the court heard.

The prosecutor said that on another occasion, the man had "smacked the child around the face" during a visit to friends.

The child's cry had been heard by others and the child's mother – who admitted two charges of child cruelty by neglect – was also present during the incident but did nothing.

The court heard that the three children have since been taken into care.

Judge Adele Williams told the man: "You have a low IQ and a psychologist has concluded you suffer from attention deficit disorder.

"I have no doubt that you found it difficult and demanding to look after three young children. You found it difficult to parent them and unhappily you resorted to violence when you couldn't cope with their behaviour."

Then she told the mother: "You accept that you did not adequately protect your children from his behaviour. When your child's arm was broken, you took her to hospital after some delay but instructed her to tell the doctors that she had fallen from the bunk beds.

"And you and your partner also connived together to lie to staff. You decided to cover it up.

"You were the mother of these children and they deserved your protection but instead you boasted to neighbours that you had, in effect, got away with the lie."