A Perth couple whose two-year-old daughter was repeatedly injured after they left her unsupervised while smoking methamphetamine has narrowly avoided jail.

The man, 42, and his 32-year-old wife admitted that in 2019 they would lock themselves in the bedroom of their Lockridge home to take around “a gram a day” of the illicit drug while up to 10 children were in other areas of the house. The couple cannot be named for legal reasons.

The pair married in May and the injured daughter was returned to the family home in mid-2021.Credit:Facebook

The man’s youngest child was regularly attacked and injured by the other older children while unsupervised, with the couple failing to seek medical treatment for her for eight months until she developed cauliflower ear.

Once the child was taken to a doctor, medical staff raised concerns about child neglect and police arrested her father and took the toddler to Perth Children’s Hospital.

The little girl had sustained extensive injuries including large bruises to her face, ears, neck, chest, back, arms and abdomen. There were also cuts and bite marks on the child’s arms and her toes and fingertips were showing early signs of infection.

Both parents were subsequently charged with engaging in reckless conduct that resulted in the suffering of a child and were sentenced in the Perth District Court on Thursday.

Judge Andrew Stavrianou said the offence existed to protect children in the community and sentenced both parents to a 15-month suspended jail term.

“You must have been aware [your child] was on occasions being hurt in one way or another, in particular that she was being bitten by other kids in the house,” he said.

“When you look at the photos [of her injuries] I’m sure you don’t like to look at the photos, I’m sure you’re ashamed and embarrassed over your conduct.

“You failed to prevent the other kids from hurting [your child], you failed to supervise her, you failed to provide effective medical treatment.”

The court heard the father, a fly-in, fly-out worker, and his wife no longer used drugs, and had sought counselling after being charged.

The pair married in May and the injured daughter was returned to the family home in mid-2021, where she lives with her father, step-mother and three step-siblings from the woman’s previous relationship.

Asked outside court how the child was, the woman said she was doing well.

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