Boy's clothing was on fire - court told

Appearing at the town’s Magistrates Court on behalf of the 31-year-old, defence solicitor Hamill Clawson told District Judge Des Perry he had been instructed to enter a not guilty plea to the single charge against her.

She is accused of child cruelty on 16 November 2012 in that she acted “in a manner likely to cause him unnecessary suffering or injury to health.”

It is understood the charge arises after the four-year-old boy emerged from an alleyway on the Larne Road with his clothes on fire.

It was reported at the time that a woman passing by rolled the boy in wet grass to extinguish the flames and he was initially taken to Antrim Area Hospital in a critical condition.

He was later transferred the the RVH where his condition stabilised.

In court today (Thursday), Judge Perry adjourned the case to 1 September and said he would fix a date for the trial at that stage.