Horden woman sentenced for abandoning baby on doorstep

A woman who abandoned her newborn son on a County Durham doorstep has been given a suspended sentence.

The baby was discovered in Horden, near Peterlee, in May.

Leigh-Anne Varley, pleaded guilty last month to having wilfully ill-treated, neglected, abandoned or exposed a child in a manner to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health.

The 36-year-old, from Horden, was handed a 14-week sentence, suspended for 12 months.

Peterlee Magistrates' Court was told the baby was less than 12-hours old when he was found by a dog walker.

He was fit and well and there was a note with him saying "please look after my baby boy".