A babysitter has admitted leaving a young boy home alone – so he could go to the pub.
The child was found sitting outside a wall of a house in Peterhead, near a busy road and bar, in the early hours of August 5 last year.
Patryk Halon was supposed to be looking after the youngster, who cannot be named for legal reasons, but instead opted to go out.
The 19-year-old also left the property unlocked allowing the boy to wander outside.
Halon appeared at Peterhead Sheriff Court yesterday and pled guilty to wilfully abandoning the child and exposing him in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health.
The court was told two strangers found the boy resting on a wall outside the property.
Fiscal depute Ruairdh McAlister said the boy said he woken up in the middle of the night.
He said police later caught up with Halon and found him drinking.
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Mr McAlister: “Two witnesses saw the young child sitting on a wall.
“He told them had woken up alone and didn’t know where his family were.
“The locus is near a busy road and a licensed premises.
“The accused was traced in Peterhead and he was under the influence of alcohol.”
Defence agent Stuart Flowerdew said Halon was 18 at the time of offence and was currently working as well as being enrolled in a welding course at college.
He said his client had arranged to go out socialising having believed someone else was coming to babysit the primary school pupil, however this never materialised.
Mr Flowerdew said: “Mr Halon accepts full responsibility for this and these are not the actions of an adult.
“Lessons have been learned, but he is aware this could’ve been a lot worse.
“He was in charge and thought someone else was coming to babysit and they didn’t arrive. It was entirely his responsibility.”
Sheriff Christine McCrossan fined Halon of Peterhead £200.
