A woman who tried to poison a young boy with bleach has been spared prison.
Nicole Wilby, who has learning difficulties, was upset at a situation involving the boy.
And on one occasion, she put bleach and Calpol in a bottle of other medicine.
The concoction caused the boy to gag, but caused him no lasting damage.
Wilby, aged 19, admitted administering poison with intent and was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
At Northampton Crown Court, Alexandra Bull, prosecuting, said the medicine bottle was sent away for forensic tests, which confirmed the presence of ibuprofen and nurofen, and possible traces of bleach.
The traces of painkiller were because Wilby had added Calpol to the bottle to try to counteract the
bleach.
Wilby initially claimed it had been an accident, but later admitted putting bleach in the bottle.
Mrs Bull said: “She had done it deliberately because she wanted to harm him. She didn’t want to
cause him serious harm, just make him sick.”
Simon Ash, mitigating, said: “This is plainly an unusual and troubling case. The pre-sentence report talks of genuine remorse for what she has done.
“It is difficult to believe that someone would have done this to a blameless boy. It is only when you know more about her that it starts to make more sense.”
Mr Ash said Wilby’s learning difficulties affect her understanding of the consequences of her actions.
Sentencing Wilby, Recorder Nirmal Shant told her she would have been given an immediate
custodial sentence were it not for her learning difficulties.
She said: “If I was to recite the bare facts, this was a wicked offence. The bare facts are appalling. But it is plain you were not thinking straight”
Wilby, of Park Road, Rushden, was also given a 12-month supervision order.
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