A BABYSITTER attacked a child before pulling a knife on her partner and slashing him in the face in front of two youngsters.

Zoe Cawthorne, 26, and James Turton, 29, were supposed to be looking after the children when she got drunk and flew into a rage.

Perth Sheriff Court heard that police officers found the children in squalid conditions at the couple's home.

The court heard the house in Perth was so filthy the carpet in one of the bedrooms could not be seen because of debris.

The children, aged four and eight at the time, were also exposed to loose razor blades left lying around in the bathroom.

Both admitted wilfully exposing the children to unnecessary suffering or injury to health on January 3. Cawthorne also admitted two further charges of assaulting the four-year-old girl by grabbing her and attacking Mr Turton by punching him and slashing him with a knife.

They must carry out 125 hours unpaid work as part of a community payback order.