A CHILD abuser escaped a jail sentence today when she was given an 18 month community rehabilitation order.

By JOANNE CONSTABLE

joanne.constable@eveningstar.co.uk

A CHILD abuser escaped a jail sentence today when she was given an 18 month community rehabilitation order.

Dawn Rogers, 23, had previously admitted two charges of neglect and one charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm on children.

One of the children had his penis grabbed and held, leaving the boy swollen and bruised.

Rogers, of Withipoll Street, Ipswich, formerly of Felixstowe, stood in the dock as Judge Sennitt told her of her punishment at Bury St Edmunds Crown Court.

He said: "It would be in the public interest not to sentence you to prison for a relatively short period but to engage through the Probation Service to sort out a number of problems.

"As you appreciate these are serious matters where you have pleaded guilty. I have to decide how to deal with this, there is no doubt that occasioning actual bodily harm was a nasty offence under which the court cannot condone or accept."

He said he was, however, satisfied that there are a number of matters in her favour.

"It does seem that you have been suffering from difficulties arising from your upbringing and it is clear from the psychiatric report that you have been suffering from a depressive illness going back for a long time."

He added that she had been remorseful and he gave her credit for her guilty plea.