A nine-year-old girl was left in tears and begging for help after her dad took valium and ended up splayed on the ground in Edinburgh.
The youngster was worried about how she would get home when told her father wouldn't be allowed to board a bus in the city due to his drugged up condition. She even offered the bus driver her mobile phone as insurance, reports the Daily Record.
Bus passengers ended up leaving the vehicle to help after becoming concerned for the youngster.
Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday how her father, who can't be named for legal reasons but is in his 30s, admitted wilfully neglecting his child by being unable to care for her due to being under the influence of illicit substances. The incident happened in December 2019.
Fiscal depute Callum Thomson said the father and daughter were getting on a bus in the Clovenstone area, however the driver informed them the dad couldn’t get on the bus due to his “demeanour”.
The girl began crying, said the prosecutor, and offered to hand over her mobile phone to the driver if her dad could get on board.
Mr Thomson said: “She stated she had no way to get home and the accused was acting strange and falling over.”
The driver refused to let the man on, the court heard, and next saw him “rolling around on the pavement” about 15 metres from the bus stop.
Mr Thomson said two passengers got off the bus as they were concerned about the youngster who was “crying and saying her dad needs help”.
Her dad then got to his feet but was “very unsteady” and his speech was “incoherent”.
Mr Thomson said: “One of the women who left the bus called the police to report he was unable to look after the child.”
Defence agent Liam Kildare told the court his client had been “struggling with drugs for a period”.
Mr Kildare said the man had been at a cousin’s home where he was offered valium and took it.
The solicitor said his client “underestimated the effect” of the valium, and was “clearly not in a fit state” to look after his daughter.
The dad was getting help for his drug problem, Mr Kildare added, and was on a methadone prescription.
Mr Kildare said the girl had been removed from her dad’s care briefly but was now back living with him.
Sheriff Adrian Cottam deferred sentence on the dad, of Edinburgh, until July.
