A THREE-YEAR-OLD girl was found by police sleeping on a urine-soaked mattress in a bedroom strewn with rubbish at a house in Bonhill.

The shocking case of child neglect came to light at a court hearing on Friday – but the girl’s father was spared prison after a sheriff decided he needed help rather than punishment.

The girl was found asleep in a filthy bedroom at the flat when police called at the house on a separate matter last November.

Elsewhere in the house police found medicine and drug paraphernalia within easy reach of the girl and a fridge containing very little food.

The 40-year-old, who the Reporter is not naming, admitted failing to provide his daughter with clean and safe living conditions, failing to keep her clean and failing to have adequate food available to feed her.

Fiscal depute Scott Simpson told the hearing the girl did not appear distressed by her situation or by the unexpected arrival of police.

Appealing for his client to be spared a prison sentence, the man’s solicitor, Scott Adair, said: “He accepts he is not particularly well house-trained. Matters got completely out of hand.”

Sheriff John Hamilton opted to place the man under social work supervision for 12 months.

The sheriff said: “Obviously it is concerning that a child was left in these circumstances but it seems a matter of good fortune that the child hasn’t come to any harm at all.

“It appears support is more appropriate than punishment at this stage.”