A mother has been jailed after she put her young baby boy’s life in danger by interfering with his feeding tubes, assaulting him and lying to nursing staff about his condition.

The 28-year-old’s treatment of her child led to him losing weight to the point that medical staff said he was “extremely malnourished and looking like an old man”.

The mother, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, kept up the pretence of the boy being ill for almost a year, causing hospitals to work hard to try to find a solution, Maidstone Crown Court was told.

“They simply couldn’t understand why he failed to eat well and thrive and gain weight,” said prosecutor Kathy Hirst.

The mother, from Gillingham, admitted child cruelty. She sobbed loudly as she was sentenced to two years and nine months.

A judge told her: “Plainly, a sentence of imprisonment is demanded. Nothing less will do.

"Moreover, the sentence has to be one of some length.”

The baby was born prematurely at Medway Maritime Hospital in early 2016.

He weighed 5lb 4.5oz (2.4kg) and needed help to deal with his breathing and suspected sepsis.

“It is the Crown’s case that she deliberately interfered with his feeding tubes, removing them, telling staff he had done it himself..." - prosecutor Kathy Hirst

Miss Hirst said the mother, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, seized upon the child’s initial difficulties to continue to demand that he be given increasingly intrusive treatment, which she went on to sabotage.

He was left with scarring from operations and nasal and stomach tube feeding.

“It is the Crown’s case that she deliberately interfered with his feeding tubes, removing them, telling staff he had done it himself.

“In addition, she would claim to staff that he was not taking food, when, in fact, he would happily feed with nurses.

"She claimed he had been sick when what she was showing staff on his blanket was clearly juice.

“This obviously had a grave impact on his health and by the time the police became involved he weighed only 5.52kg and was failing to thrive.

“He was described at that stage as being severely emaciated. A member of staff commented he looked like an old man.

“It seems he has made a full recovery and is doing well. There are scars on his stomach and other places which reflect those unnecessary procedures.”

Miss Hirst said there had been a strong suspicion the mother was pulling out tubes, which was impacting on his feeding.

Nursing staff witnessed the mother pinching her baby during feeding, making him agitated and distressed.

On one occasion she had him on her lap and placed a blanket over his leg. She was doing something under the blanket which caused him to cry out in pain.

On another occasion, she was seen to dig her fingernails into his back as he was being fed. His foot was also seen to be red and swollen.

The mother was said to exhibit behaviour of “factitious illness disorder”, previously known as Munchausen’s Syndrome by Proxy.

“Her child’s life was in imminent danger by her deliberate acts...” - prosecutor Kathy Hirst

Miss Hirst said the woman accepted in her basis of plea that from the baby’s birth to the point of her arrest in February last year – a period of almost 12 months - she had caused unnecessary suffering or harm.

It included assaulting him to make him cry out in pain while being fed in front of others to support her assertion he was in pain while being fed.

She also admitted removing tubes and lines and falsely reporting vomiting and giving him smaller quantities of food.

“He spent months in hospital being subjected to these invasive procedures,” said Miss Hirst.

“It is submitted that cruelty is high given the length of time over which it took place and the means which were carried out.

“Her child’s life was in imminent danger by her deliberate acts.”

Passing sentence, Judge David Griffith-Jones QC said the mother had “exaggerated and fabricated the extent of problems and pursued an increasingly cynical and deliberate course, failing to follow medical advice, manipulating, obstructing and lying to medical professionals”

He told her: “Your actions resulted in intermittent and progressive, and sometimes a dangerous decline in his wellbeing.

"He was caused considerable distress, pain and suffering and had to have medical intervention.”

The mother’s deliberate and concerted approach to the baby’s problems, he said, served only to exacerbate them.

“You have to be sentenced for cruelty to him by your wilful actions. On any view, it is a very serious offence.

"Plainly, your culpability is high, mitigated only to a limited extent by your mental state at the time.

“It is right to say your behaviour cast aspersions on numerous medical professionals and caused upset and disruption to the NHS and professionals with whom you had dealings.”

The judge added the mother’s mental condition at the time was an explanation for her actions, but not an excuse.

“Your actions resulted in intermittent and progressive, and sometimes a dangerous decline in his wellbeing..." - Judge David Griffith-Jones QC

Tana Adkin, QC, defending, submitted it was an exceptional case and a suspended sentence could be imposed.

When the child was born, she said, the mother did not appear to have any psychiatric or psychological difficulties.

She became extremely anxious about his feeding and screaming in pain when she tried to feed him. He would hold his breath, making her think if she did not watch him, he would die.

“From that point on she did not sleep,” said Miss Adkin. “She became obsessive about him, believing he would die if she didn’t watch over him every moment.

“She became completely mistrustful of the medical profession. She believed they didn’t have his wellbeing at heart.

"She questioned every decision they made and every piece of advice given.

“She was suffering from a mental illness at that stage.

"She was dealing with his health issues in an obsessive way. Her judgement worsened.”