A drunken mother rolled over during her sleep and onto her four-week-old baby, who later died.

Marina Tilby, 26, was so intoxicated she could not be roused even while others tried to save her dying son Darrian.

Tilby, of Rhyfach, Llwyncelyn, admitted the wilful neglect of her son. She was jailed for two years and four months.

Catherine Richards, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court that sudden infant death syndrome could not be ruled out and, consequently, the child could have died before Tilby rolled on top of him.

The offence, she added, related to Tilby being incapable of looking after him and not causing his death.

Judge Paul Thomas said he was "very surprised to hear that conclusion" and thought a large number of the public would also find it difficult to come to terms with.

"Lying on top of him would not have helped the situation. Had she not been drunk she would have been able to alert the emergency services at a far earlier stage," he added.

On March 30, 2017, Tilby and her sister Lucy Williamson drank two pints of Guinness in the Sea Horse Inn, New Quay.

They moved on to the bar at the Quay West holiday park and en route Lucy Williamson bought a bottle of gin and port.

Miss Richards said the women drank more Guinness and accepted an invitation from three men to sleep the night in their caravan.

After drinking lager they opened the gin.

Shortly after 3.30am Tilby went to bed with Darrian next to her.

Within minutes it was noticed that Tilby was on top of the child and that there was blood around his mouth.

A 999 call was made at 4am but Tilby still couldn’t wake up and her sister accompanied Darrian to Bronglais hospital in an ambulance.

A specialist paediatric unit rushed to Aberystwyth from Bristol but Darrian could not be saved.

Meanwhile, police arrived at Quay West but could not rouse Tilby until 5.15am. She was taken to Bronglais and Darrian died in her arms.

Miss Richards said Darrian suffered a heart attack but the prosecution could not prove it was as a result of Tilby sleeping on top of him.

Her barrister, Dyfed Thomas, said Tilby had made a catastrophic decision to go out that night, with her baby, and so stay out.

"She will never forgive herself. Her lapse of judgement will punish her for the rest of her life."

Judge Thomas told Tilby, "It is a mother’s responsibility and duty, and her natural instinct, to put the care and safety of her four week old baby above all else.

"You ignored that duty and got completely and hopelessly drunk. This is a dreadful case of selfishness."

Judge Thomas said it was impossible to say whether doctors would have saved Darrian if Tilby had raised the alarm at an earlier stage.