Couple jailed after children’s night-time escape from squalor

A couple have been sentenced to 16 months in jail after two young children under their care fled their squalid home in Angus and were found wandering the streets early in the morning.
Scotty Lawson and Christina Milford-Scott, 27, both unemployed, previously admitted to wilfully neglecting three children under the age of seven in 2022. The extent of their neglect came to light when two of the children escaped from their filthy flat, leading the authorities to uncover the appalling living conditions.
Police were alerted when a passerby found the children, one of whom was wearing only a nappy. Upon returning the children to the flat, officers discovered a home in disarray, with urine and faeces smeared on the walls, no food in a mouldy, maggot-infested fridge and various rooms inaccessible due to being chained off. The couple’s own bedroom, which was also chained off, was found to be clean and well-kept.
One of the children hugged a police officer and pleaded, “Please take me with you,” The Courier first reported. The child was then scolded by Milford-Scott for eating a piece of toast saying: “You’re not hungry, you just think you are.”
Forfar sheriff court heard that the children had been spotted walking along a street in Forfar at 4.30am on October 19, 2022. A person on the way to work noticed that the older child was dressed, while the younger was barefoot and in a nappy. The individual contacted police, who followed the children to their home.
Despite the door being ajar, officers were initially unable to enter due to an ironing board blocking the entrance. They called for backup and a social worker, eventually waking Lawson, 31, and Milford-Scott, 27.
Inside, police found a third child in a bedroom reeking of urine and faeces, with soiled clothing on the floor and faeces smeared on the walls.
During the investigation, it was revealed that the children could not access basic facilities, with several rooms, including the couple’s pristine bedroom, locked off. In the kitchen the fridge was filled with mould and maggots and bags of rubbish were scattered throughout the room. Milford-Scott claimed the fridge was broken but insisted they bought fresh food daily.
Both Lawson and Milford-Scott pleaded guilty to child neglect charges. Lawson admitted to neglecting the children by failing to provide a clean living environment and not securing the property, which allowed the children to leave unsupervised and inadequately dressed.
Milford-Scott, originally from Filey, Yorkshire, admitted the same offences and also failing to provide adequate food and clothing.
Brian Black, representing Lawson, said that his client regretted his actions, acknowledging that he lacked the necessary skills to care for the children. Black emphasised that Lawson had no prior criminal record and had since cut contact with the children and Milford-Scott.
Billy Rennie, representing Milford-Scott, argued that she had come to Scotland to escape an abusive relationship and was trying to rebuild her life. He suggested that her difficult circumstances and mental health issues contributed to the neglect, stating that she was unlikely to reoffend.
Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown criticised the pair for minimising their responsibility and showing a lack of empathy. She emphasised that the children were particularly vulnerable and that the couple’s actions could have “potentially long-lasting” effects on their well-being. In addition to the 16-month prison sentences, the sheriff imposed six months of post-release supervision, citing the ongoing risk of harm posed by the couple’s behaviour.
She said: “Both of you have minimised your role. You have both shown a lack of empathy. You kept your own accommodation immaculate. The children were particularly vulnerable. Your behaviour continues to present a risk of harm.”