Mother left six children home alone to fly to Australia

A woman from Birmingham has received a suspended prison sentence after leaving her six children on their own for six weeks while she flew to Australia.

The Birmingham woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, left her 14-year-old son in charge when she went to stay with a boyfriend on 2 January.

She pleaded guilty to six counts of wilful abandonment at Birmingham Crown Court.

Giles Latcham reports.