POLICE found a seven-week-old baby in the bottom drawer of a bedroom unit inside the Maryport home of a registered sex offender and his partner.

Kenneth Manderson, 32, was sentenced in 2010 for 11 separate offences, including attempted child rape, which he committed as a juvenile.

Manderson was sentenced to four years in a young offenders’ institution. He was also ordered to comply with the strict terms of notification requirements.

One condition stated that he had to inform police, within three days, if he was living in a household where a child was also residing or staying.

But Manderson was found to be in breach of that condition after his offender manager and others made an unannounced visit to his Wood Street flat on January 17.

That offender manager believed Manderson and his partner had allegedly 'concealed' the birth of a baby they’d had.

They 'denied that was the case', Carlisle Crown Court heard.

“He was reluctant to let police into the flat,” said prosecutor Gerard Rogerson. “He said he didn’t want to because he said and his partner were recovering from the effects of Covid.”

Police were suspicious, could detect the smell of cannabis and, as Manderson’s reluctance continued, they concluded he was 'stalling'.

“There is no child here, and even if there was you wouldn’t let us keep it,” Manderson had said, while also loitering next to a closed door.

Once inside, police saw an upturned Moses basket, baby clothing and a dummy.

“They noticed that Mr Manderson had gone into that bedroom and closed the door, which appeared to be wedged shut,” said Mr Rogerson.

A baby was then heard crying. When police entered the bedroom, Manderson’s partner reached towards a bottom drawer.

“She pulled open the drawer, revealing a tiny, fully-clothed baby. That turned out to be a baby who was seven weeks old,” added the prosecutor.

He told the court Manderson had said: “We just want to be a normal family.”

Sean Harkin, defending, said there was nothing to suggest the child had been 'anything other than well cared for'.

“He has made a gross error of judgement. He bitterly regrets that and he is very sorry,” said Mr Harkin.

Manderson, who admitted failing to comply with notification requirements, was jailed for a year by Recorder Anna Vigars QC.