Mother, 33, whose seven-year-old son was run over and killed by a taxi after she left him 'home alone' so she visit boyfriend is jailed for nearly five years

A mother whose seven-year-old son was killed after she left him 'home alone' so she could visit her boyfriend has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.

Wendy Hall, 33, abandoned her son Malakye in a dark and locked house in Bradford, West Yorkshire, with no gas or electricity before heading out to see her partner.

But the 'popular' schoolboy unlocked the door and wandered onto a busy city centre road where he was struck and killed by a taxi in August last year.

Malakye was left alone in the property with only his mother's mobile phone to play with, but at 10pm he was run over and fatally injured on Manchester Road.

Bradford Crown Court heard that Malakye appeared to have got out of the house shortly after his mother left on the night of August 11, 2020.

Wendy Hall , 33, abandoned her son Malakye in a dark and locked house in Bradford, West Yorkshire, with no gas or electricity before heading out to see her partner

Police who arrived at the crash scene found the boy had the damaged phone on him - and detectives went to the house which was in darkness with the door open.

Hall was subsequently traced to her partner's home and she was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary to identify her son's body.

Abigail Langford, prosecuting, said when Hall was interviewed the next day she admitted leaving Malakye at home at the property on Lindley Road on his own.

Miss Langford said: 'She told officers she had left the door to the premises locked so that Malakye could not go out.'

The court heard that Hall had moved from the Lindley Road address to live with her sister but had gone back there to pick up some belongings, intending to take her son to her partner's - but the boy changed his mind about going.

Police at the crash scene in August 2020 found the boy had the damaged phone on him

Miss Langford added: 'She said she did not think Malakye could use the bolt on the back door.

'The Crown say this was a deliberate disregard for the welfare of Malakye. A deliberate decision to leave him in a house which had no electricity or gas.'

Hall pleaded guilty to the neglect charge and was jailed for three years. She also received an additional 18 months in prison for other matters.

Saf Salam, defending Hall, said she had left the Lindley Road property two or three weeks before the death of her son.

Mr Salam said Hall, who had no previous convictions, had been diagnosed with a bipolar disorder and had suffered from depression and anxiety since her teens.

The 'popular' schoolboy wandered onto a busy city centre road where he was struck and killed

He said that Hall's culpability could be reduced due to her mental disorder.

Recorder Tahir Khan QC told Hall: 'The police found your mobile phone in Malakye's clothing and you were to say you had given it to him so he could play on it while he was alone in that house which had no electricity or no gas.

'I've no reason to doubt you locked the door to stop him getting out but as we know he did with those tragic consequences. This is category one harm in my judgment. The deliberate act of leaving Malakye alone and vulnerable resulted in his death.'

Following his death, Malakye was described as a 'happy and funny' child with a 'bright smile.'