A judge lifted an anonymity order so that the media could identify a mother who was jailed for five years after making a number of attempts to smother her month-old daughter.

After an application by Press Association reporter Theo Usherwood, Judge Michael Heath lifted an order under section 39 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 which had prevented the media from identifying a 24-year-old who admitted 14 charges of child cruelty.

But he also said that while he was lifting the order, reports should still not include the first name of the child who she had tried to suffocate, which had been mentioned in open court.

The little girl, now three, has been adopted.

The reporter, who used to work for the Nottingham Evening Post, argued that the mother, who was jailed yesterday, should be identified because of the significant public interest in the case.

Media Lawyer reports that the court had heard how she suffered from a serious personality disorder and it was a matter of public interest that she was able to try to suffocate her child in hospital on 14 different occasions.

In addition, the child was so young that there was a minimal risk of publicity having any significant impact, particularly as she had been adopted.

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