A mother who left her baby's body in a cot for two weeks after her boyfriend beat the child to death was today jailed for three-and-a-half years.

Emma Back, 22, of Park Road, Bexhill, was convicted at Lewes Crown Court of cruelty and conspiring to prevent the burial of son Sam Back.

Today she was sentenced to three years for the neglect and to six months for conspiring to prevent his burial. The sentences will run consecutively.

Aaron Goodman, 27, formerly of Church Road, St Leonards, was jailed for life at an earlier hearing after he was found guilty of murdering Sam at the couple's flat in December 2000.

Goodman, who is not the child's father, had pleaded guilty to conspiring to prevent the lawful burial of Sam, who was killed just days before his second birthday.