PARENTS living in an “absolutely filthy” household who admitted neglecting their young children have been spared jail.

A mother and father appeared for sentencing at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday after admitting to four counts of wilful neglect.

The court heard the children were riddled with head-lice and attended school in soiled, dirty, clothing.

Katherine Davey, prosecuting, said the neglect went on for years.

She said: “The parents see themselves as the wronged parties and do not think their children should have been taken into care.”

The court heard social services have been involved with the family since 2012.

The conditions of the family home, in Harwich, were found to be neglected and children often sustained injuries due to lack of supervision.

Several agencies worked with the parents, but their attempts did not succeed and the three eldest children were fostered and the three youngest were adopted in 2017.

Ms Davey said the children had extreme forms of head-lice with no attempt to eradicate it and the home was infested.

She added: “All the children attended school smelling strongly of urine - they were wet when they got to school and wet themselves.”

The children also appeared at school with already soiled and dirty clothing, she added.

She said the household was “absolutely filthy” and even when the children were taken into care the floorboards in the girls’ a room still smelt of urine three months after the children had departed.

The court also heard the home was unhygienic and the children were often cold in the winter as they were inadequately dressed.

Jacqueline Carey, defending, said: four years have passed since the children were removed from their parents. “This is not a case involving a lack of love, the mother said the children are the first thing she thinks of in the morning and last thing she thinks of at night.”

The court heard the father admitted he could have done more to help.

Judge Christopher Morgan sentenced the mother to 21 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years.

She will also have to carry out a 40-day rehabilitation requirement and 250 hours of unpaid work.

The father was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, and must carry out a 40-day rehabilitation requirement.