The mother of a toddler who was found dead at a house in the Highlands has admitted neglecting him over a five-month period.

Amanda Hardie, 30, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court and pleaded guilty to wilfully ill-treating, abandoning, neglecting and exposing two-year-old Clyde Campbell to unnecessary suffering or injury in her flat in Mackintosh Road, Inverness between October 1, 2013 and February 23, 2014.

The charge went on to say she left him for prolonged periods and in particular during the hours of darkness whilst unattended and without adult supervision.

Clyde, who was born on January 20, 2012, died in his bed on February 23, 2014, and it took some time before his cause of death was established as sudden infant death in childhood.

Fiscal Roderick Urquhart told sheriff Gordon Fleetwood: "Further medical enquiries established no clinical basis to link her neglect of Clyde to his death. There was no evidence of disease, infection, injury, malnourishment or dehydration.

"Clyde’s teeth were clean and in good condition. In short, there were no physical signs of neglect."

After hearing from Mr Urquhart, sheriff Fleetwood deferred sentence on Hardie for a background report and she will re-appear on April 15.

Defence counsel Lorenzo Alonzi also said he would have a psychiatric report prepared on his client, who he said "has a history of mental health problems".

The sheriff told Hardie: “I have to say that all possible disposals are open to the court for this case as the court has to take seriously what happened."