A mum from the north of the island has been handed a 12-month conditional discharge after admitting being drunk in charge of two young children.

The 33-year-old, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, wept in court as she admitted two counts of the offence and was also ordered by magistrates to pay £125 prosecution costs.

Prosecutor Michael Jelski told the court how, on April 26 at 5.45pm, police were called by members of the public after a report of a woman drunk at Bath Place in Douglas bumping into a building and falling over while she had a pram with her.

Police found one child standing on the road and the baby sliding down the pram.

Police took the children to their grandmother’s home and the woman was arrested.

During interview, she said she had lunch with a friend at Barbary Coast restaurants on the North Quay in Douglas, where they shared two bottles of wine and she had ’picked at’ some chips.

She said she had not realised she was drunk until she went outside.

The woman said that she rarely drank but denied falling over. She said she believed the younger child was secure in the pram.

Advocate Matthew Wilshaw said: ’She didn’t have much to eat and had three glasses of wine. She didn’t appreciate the effect. She walked a short distance to get a bus.

’She believed the child was secure. The straps are loose because she doesn’t like to be too constrained.

’She is upset and ashamed to think members of the public and police might have thought she put her children in danger. This has put her off drinking for life.’

He added: ’She does believe she was capable of caring for her children. Like any mother, her children are her world.’

Chair of the magistrates Charles Fargher said while passing sentence: ’We can see from your demeanour this is a matter that has caused you great distress.

’This wasn’t a decision that came easily but we were persuaded by your advocate and by looking at you.’