Mother is charged with son’s murder

A MOTHER is to stand trial accused of murdering her 23-month-old son, concealing his body and pretending he was alive for almost a year.

Kimberley Hainey appeared yesterday at the High Court in Glasgow at a preliminary hearing.

The 36-year-old is alleged to have assaulted, wilfully ill-treated and neglected her son Declan between 1 September, 2008, and 30 March last year at an address in Bruce Road, Paisley, Renfrewshire.

The accusation includes claims Hainey caused the child to ingest heroin and amphetamine and that she left him unattended and in soiled nappies for excessive periods of time.

The Crown has accused Hainey of either murdering her son or alternatively neglecting him by failing to provide medical care for him.

Judge Lord Turnbull adjourned the hearing until trial in November.

The case is expected to last up to seven weeks.

Hainey, of Nith Place, Johnstone, Renfrewshire, also faces a charge of attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

She is accused of failing to inform the police or other authorities of Declan’s death.

Hainey denies all allegations.