A MOTHER-of-four who abandoned her children to go on a 24-hour drink and drug binge has avoided jail for the second time.

Rebecca Stevenson, 23, of Blackburn, who was branded ‘Britain’s worst mum’ when she left her ‘hysterical’ children under the age of five to fend for themselves, admitted breaching her community order yesterday at a hearing at Lancaster Castle.

She was back in front of Judge Norman Wright, who had imposed a 20-week suspended sentence, with an eight-week curfew, in November.

Despite admitting that Stevenson ‘did not give a jot’ about her last sentence, Judge Wright decided against sending her to prison and instead gave her a four-week curfew.

The court heard that Stevenson failed to attend a probation appointment on New Year’s Eve, before breaching her 8pm-6am curfew three times between New Year’s Day and January 2.

Jacob Dyer, prosecuting for the Probation Service, explained Stevenson’ electronic tag showed she left her friend’s house - where she has been staying - in Farnworth, near Bolton, for 15 minutes at 11.55pm on January 1.

Then again for five minutes at 2.30am on January 2, before going out at 2.50am until 4.30am.

Richard Bennett, defending Stevenson, said she had been letting her friend’s dog out for the first two breaches, but when another friend came calling to take her out in a car ‘she had consumed drink and cannot remember what happened or where they went’.

Mr Bennett said Stevenson was no longer responsible for her children’s care and pleaded for ‘one last chance’.

Judge Wright told Mr Bennett: “The last breach of the curfew was the very sort of predicament which led to her abandoning her kids overnight.”

He then addressed Stevenson, telling her the ‘simple solution’ was not to drink.

“I had hoped you would heed the warning I gave you last time.

“Whilst somewhat sceptical, I’m prepared to accept the first explanation of you letting the dog out.

“But clearly that doesn’t apply in relation to the further breach.

“You went off for your own selfish pleasure under the influence of alcohol. Clearly you could not give a jot about the order I made.”

Judge Wright said it would be ‘easy’ to make a ‘knee-jerk reaction’, but added: "No second chance. If you are one minute in breach of this curfew it won’t wash.

“Short of you being carried out on a stretcher you will be carrying out this sentence.”