Mother jailed for biting midwife during childbirth

A young mother has been jailed for deliberately biting a midwife who was helping to deliver her baby.

Leanne Pennington, 26, was in the final stages of labour when she sank her teeth into the forearm of experienced midwife Carolyn Burden.

Mrs Burden, 41, needed immediate first aid but bravely went back onto the ward to help Pennington give birth.



But the experienced nurse later had to endure six months of HIV and hepatitis tests because Pennington was a "high risk patient".

Magistrates heard Pennington caused problems on the maternity ward at the 440-bed Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales. The court was told mother-of-four Mrs Burden suffered a swollen and bruised arm in the bite attack.

Pennington, of Merthyr Tydfil, admitted assault and was jailed for 20 weeks by Merthyr Tydfil magistrates.