A MOTHER-of-three who took her two-year-old son a drunken late-night trip to a police station in the pouring rain, dressed only in a shirt, has walked free from court after a judge ruled she was not guilty of neglect.

But Pauline Lomax was told by a judge that she had behaved “disgracefully” by taking her son Sonatel to Colne police station just before 5am to complain about an alleged theft from her home.

Lomax, 37, of Birtwistle Avenue, Colne, had been accused of child cruelty by exposing her son to unnecessary suffering after a vodka binge in July 2007.

But the Recorder of Preston, Judge Anthony Russell QC, halted her neglect trial at Preston Crown Court after legal submissions by Lomax’s lawyer Elizabeth Johnson.

Miss Johnson said that there was insufficient evidence relating to the level of suffering and injury caused to the child.

Police witnesses had said the child was “whining” or “crying a little” but was soon removed from the scene while his mother was arrested.

The court heard she had been banging on the staff entrance to Colne police station at around 5.40am on July 2, 2007.

Police say she was “rambling” about some money being missing from her home, she smelled of alcohol and was waving her arms around.

The officers initially arrested her for being drunk in charge of a child while Sontael was placed in the care of station staff.

Earlier the court heard that Lomax and her daughter Sasha Stanworth had been drinking vodka. Lomax had left the house twice, to buy vodka from a 24-hour garage on North Valley Road.

The second time she returned, she noticed some money and her purse was missing. She admitted having an argument with her daughter before taking Sonatel in his pushchair to the police station.

Interviewed by police, Lomax said she left the house “in a huff” and had not noticed how Sonatel was dressed.

She said that normally both her and her daughter would not drink, as they were looking after children, but they had been celebrating the birth of Sasha’s daughter Sophia.

Judge Russell said that Lomax should have faced an offence of being drunk in charge of a child.

But the judge added: “Pauline Lomax’s behaviour on that night was completely disgraceful but it did not amount to the charge alleged.”