Not guilty ruling as foster carer unfit to stand trial

Carol Brown, of Durham Road, Darlington, was deemed medically unfit to withstand a trial, at Teesside Crown Court yesterday.

The 58-year-old had been charged with cruelty to three children under the age of 16, dating back to when she was a foster carer in the borough.

She faced a number of allegations including making a child stand outside naked, beating a youngster, and forcing children to eat mouldy sandwiches and their own vomit.

The court was told Mrs Brown, who is married and has no children, was physically and mentally unable to go through a trial.

Christine Egerton, prosecuting, said: "Carol Brown has a number of problems, both physical and mental problems, which means she will be unable to withstand the stress of a trial.

"The defence has served medical reports on the Crown and in the public interest the Crown has decided to offer no evidence on all 17 counts."

Mrs Brown appeared at the same court on September 30 when she pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The offences were alleged to have taken place between December 1987 and April 1998.

She was accused of hitting a child with a slipper, throwing a cup of tea at the same child and on a separate occasion, sitting on his chest and slapping him around the face and head.

The foster mother was also alleged to have beat him until he agreed not to report her behaviour to social service.

It was also claimed she wilfully ill-treated another child by making her eat soap, shampoo and washing up liquid and a mouldy sandwich.

She was also alleged to have threatened to take an overdose if the allegations were reported to social services.

When questioned by Judge David Bryant on whether the charges should lie on file, Dan Cordey, defending, said: "These matters are historic, they are from a number of years ago when she was a foster carer. There is no chance she could ever be a foster carer again and she has no children of her own."

Judge Bryant recorded not guilty verdicts on all charges.