POLICE waded through a foot of litter and faeces and past the body of dog covered in maggots as they discovered the unsanitary living conditions of a Pembroke child.

A woman, who cannot be named due to a court order protecting the identity of the child, pleaded guilty to neglect at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Tuesday, February 25.

She admitted that the child was exposed to conditions likely to cause him unnecessary suffering or affect his health between June 7, 2019 and February 7.

Vaughan Pritchard-Jones, prosecuting, said police visited the house after receiving information that a young boy was living in unsanitary conditions.

Officers had to squeeze through a gap to enter the property, as the front door would only open about 20 per cent due to the amount of clutter behind it.

Mr Pritchard-Jones said: “The floor was a foot deep in rubbish, there was cat faeces on the floor.

“There was a dead dog lying on the kitchen floor, it appeared to have been left to starve to death. It had cobwebs and maggots all over it, and clearly had been there for some time.”

An inspection of the fridge found the only food it contained was a packet of out of date coleslaw.

The boy’s bedroom was described as a ‘total mess’, while the woman’s bedroom was full of empty wine boxes.

The toilet was full of human faeces, with scum floating in water in the bathroom sink.

Mr Pritchard-Jones added: “The young child said he had not had a wash in hot water for some time because there was none in the property.”

The court heard that the boy was now in foster care.

David Elvy, defending, accepted that the case would be sent to crown court. He said: “There is mitigation, but this is not the place for it.”

Magistrates declined jurisdiction and the woman will next appear at Swansea crown court on March 27.

She was released on unconditional bail.