A MOTHER and her partner both admitted to neglecting her daughter while she was in their care.

Worcester magistrates heard how the two 23-year-olds, from Dines Green, failed to take the child to a doctor for two days despite the girl suffering severe bruising.

They admitted they had not taken the child to see a doctor at the earliest possible time after discovering the bruises.

Richard Adams, defending, said the man first noticed the bruising on the girl's bottom on Wednesday, July 10, this year, when he questioned his partner.

"She said she (the girl) had fallen off a stool and on to the kitchen floor," he said.

"The next day I noticed that the bruises had got worse.

"I told her to see a doctor and she agreed."

He accepted he had demonstrated a lack of clear decision making by not taking the child to a doctor's the following day, instead of the Friday.

Jason Aras, defending, said the mother had "very much regretted what happened" and was currently helping social services.

Kerry Moreton, prosecuting, referred District Judge Phillip Browning to pre-sentence reports on the couple.

Judge Browning said it appeared from the evidence before him that the child had been beaten, but the two were only facing charges of neglect.

"It had severe injuries that were not accidental that occurred while she was with you," he said.

He sentenced them both to six months imprisonment suspended for two years and said they were lucky not to be facing a term in prison. He ordered them to pay £250 between them.