by Keith Hunt

A woman who tried to poison a child as she lay ill in a hospital bed has been spared a jail sentence.

Nicola Clark injected waste matter into the girl’s intravenous drip, causing her to contract septicaemia. She has since made a full recovery.

A judge told the 39-year-old it was serious offending, but imposed 12 months imprisonment suspended for 18 months.

He ordered supervision with alcohol treatment for six months. Mental health treatment was also recommended.

“There will be those who if they read the headline will be surprised at the very least at the seemingly lenient sentence,” Judge Jeremy Carey told Clark.

“I need to explain why I take that course. I have to consider the need for the protection of the public and the need for rehabilitation.

“You do need help in respect of mental health and alcohol abuse. It is plain you have been drinking to excess on a regular basis.”

Clark, of Gillingham, admitted administering poison or a noxious substance containing e.Coli in April last year.

Maidstone Crown Court heard Clark was caught on CCTV at Medway Hospital using a syringe to inject the faecal material into the child’s drip.

Jocelyn Ledward, prosecuting, said the girl, who cannot be identified, was able to make a good recovery because of prompt medical treatment.

“There was almost miraculous improvement,” she said.

Judge Carey told Clark the offence carried a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment.

“I tell you that not to frighten you, but to make it clear to you and all those listening that this is serious offending, because the effect of it could have been fatal,” he said.

“The effect was serious in any event. It caused septicaemia and could have had a disastrous effect.”

The judge said he believed Clark committed the offence to draw attention to herself while in a deep depression.

The court had a responsibility to sentence objectively and reflect society’s view of the offending by considering a prison sentence.

He told Clark: “You needed some kind of prop and you got it from time to time from alcohol. That was a contributing factor to your offending.

“You must address your alcohol abuse by abstaining and not just controlling it.”

There were facilities for doing so in prison but treatment at the Brenchley Unit in Maidstone were likely to be more effective and quicker.

“For those reasons, the court can take what on the face of it is a merciful course, but is, in fact, a constructive course,” he said.

“You should take this opportunity. I need hardly say to you it is the only opportunity you can call upon the mercy of the court and invite it to do this for you.”

Judge Carey said of the conditions laid down in his sentence: “You will disobey this at your peril.”