A MOTHER left her two-year-old daughter alone within reach of a syringe filled with heroin while she went out to get a cigarette from a friend, a court has heard.

Moments after the woman went outside, police arrived at her home in Bishop Auckland to execute a search warrant, magistrates in Newton Aycliffe were told.

Officers found the woman’s daughter asleep on a double bed in the main bedroom, and next to the bed, on top of a chest of drawers, was a syringe filled with a brown liquid.

Prosecutor Andrea Milsom said the substance turned out to be heroin, and the woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, told police she had prepared it to use later that day.

Ms Milsom said the officers arrived at the house and saw the woman about 20m away.

Ms Milsom said the child could have reached the syringe containing the Class A drug, and further evidence of drugs being used in the room were found in a draw beneath the bed.

The woman admitted neglecting a child and possessing a Class A drug, and also admitted being in breach of two conditional discharges she had received for previous thefts.

She also pleaded guilty to stealing food worth £67.35 from Aldi in Bishop Auckland and failing to attend a follow up meeting with police after testing positive for opiates after the house search.

Robert Willoughby in mitigation said the woman had previously beaten a drugs habit but suffered a relapse.

He said she is distraught about the situation she put her child in and is already seeking help for her drug addiction.

Mr Willoughby said the syringe was behind a mirror therefore difficult for the girl to reach, and she had only been alone for a few minutes.

Magistrates sentenced her to 12 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months with 12 months supervision by the probation service and drug rehabilitation.

She must also pay £85 costs and a £80 victim surcharge.

Chairman of the bench Leslie Abbott told her: “We do not believe that you have realised the full consequences of leaving a bairn in a house alone with a loaded heroin syringe.

“The dosage in there could have killed her.

“Anybody that has kids knows if there anything they can get at, they will get at it.

“I would rather shout at you now than have to go to a child’s burial.”