A VALE mother was jailed for three years last Friday for torturing her baby girl and leaving her permanently disfigured.

The woman, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the child, picked at open wounds on her baby's body causing lifelong damage.

Cardiff Crown Court heard hospital staff were horrified to see the woman picking at scabs while the baby screamed in agony.

The injuries were so bad the bone was exposed.

A previous hearing was told the 16-month-old baby was regularly treated for skin infections across her body. Each time she left hospital her wounds deteriorated and she was readmitted with "appalling" injuries.

Large sections of the girl's skin and limbs were covered in suppurating sores through which her bones could be seen.

She was transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London where staff alerted police to the mother's disturbing behaviour towards her baby.

A nurse told police she had seen the woman "picking away at the baby's wounds" in a way that left hospital staff "horrified".

The woman admitted causing grievous bodily harm and child neglect.

A jury found her guilty of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Judge Stephen Hopkins said: "In the year after her birth your child was neglected and ill-treated.

"She will remain permanently disfigured. It was only when nurses saw you picking at wounds that the awful truth emerged.

"It is obvious you were doing this on a daily basis.

"By continually picking at wounds you were getting attention to your own personality disorder."