A COUPLE allowed a girl to live in miserable squalor and subjected her to assaults and degrading ill-treatment, a court heard yesterday.

Details of the abuse and neglect emerged as the youngster's step-father was jailed and her mother was given a suspended prison sentence.

The family's home in Middlesbrough smelled of urine with cat faeces on the floor, and overflowing ashtrays were left lying about.

There were take-away cartons and cans all over the floor and a dirty blood-stained duvet was found by police in the child's bedroom.

Officers went to the house after the girl went to school upset, told teachers her mum had kicked her and showed them her bruised hip.

After a trial at Teesside Crown Court, the mother was convicted of an actual bodily harm assault. She admitted a charge of neglect.

The step-father pleaded guilty to neglect and two cruelty charges, and was convicted by the jury of a further two counts of cruelty.

The court heard that he smoked cannabis in the child's presence, squeezed her through her clothing and smacked her bare bottom.

Judge Tony Briggs jailed the man for 12 months and gave the woman a 12-month sentence, suspended for two years, with supervision.

He said: "Anyone who heard this trial can't fail to be disgusted by the treatment of [the girl]. There was clearly considerable neglect."

Ian Mullarkey, mitigating, said the step-father was immature and was not equipped to look after children when he married the woman.

Kate Dodds, for the mother, said she had a tragic history of having her children taken from her, but was coping better with her daughter.

She said: "Whatever punishment is handed down, nothing compares to the fact that she can never have her daughter in her care."