A toddler was left to run around a home full of empty Buckfast bottles while his mum lay intoxicated.

The mother, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the child, appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court last week.

She admitted wilfully failing to provide appropriate care for the tot in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health.

The court heard that on January 18, care staff attended the woman’s Irvine home.

They found her under the influence of alcohol and slurring her speech.

The staff contacted social workers, who then contacted police.

Officers arrived to find loud music being played in the house. They also found the child running freely around and the mother “lying on the couch heavily under the influence”.

When asked how much she had had to drink, the woman denied having any alcohol.

She was asked again and this time she stated that she had consumed a bottle of wine earlier that day.

Officers noted that the woman was “slurring her words and appeared sedated”.

They also noted a baby gate to the kitchen which was not closed and so the tot was able to run freely about the house.

Police then found three empty bottles of Buckfast on the woman’s bedroom floor.

More bottles of the tonic wine were found in the kitchen, all accessible to the child.

Social workers arrived and placed the child on a worktop area. He slid himself off and was in danger of falling but the police intervened and caught him.

Officers and social work staff noted the mother “appeared not bothered by this and made no attempts to intervene”.

Social workers informed the woman that the child was being taken from her care. She said he was not going anywhere and that she was fit to look after him.

They attempted unsuccessfully to obtain details of any approved person to look after him. Officers then found another bottle of Buckfast, this time behind the cushion on the couch.

The woman responded: “So what I’ve had a f*****’ drink.”

A further two bottles of the tonic wine were found within the property – one empty and one-half empty. This brought the total to seven bottles in the locus, all accessible to the baby.

Sheriff Michael Hanlon called for reports and made a referral to the Children’s Panel.

The woman will return to the court next month.