Parents plead guilty to child cruelty

A couple who left their young sons in filthy nappies and raised them in squalor have pleaded guilty to three counts of child cruelty.

But the man, 25, and woman, 23, avoided a conviction with Brisbane District Court Judge David Searles instead giving them 18 months probation on Tuesday.

The court was told the de facto couple was visited twice in 2009 by child safety officers who found the house in a deplorable state.

Prosecutor Chris Kershaw said mouldy food was found on the floor and rubbish, including bags of used nappies, was strewn throughout the house and backyard.

He said the three boys attended child care twice a week and the carer noticed they arrived in dirty clothes, and wearing full nappies that needed changing immediately.

Their bottles were not clean and two of them had nappy rash, the court was told.

Mr Kershaw said the mother sought assistance from a number of agencies, including the Red Cross, Brisbane Youth Services, child health and mental health services.

"She tested for postnatal depression but that was not found to be the case," he said.

He said the oldest boy, who was four when the neglect occurred, was found to have speech problems and the other two, then aged 21 months, and seven months, had respiratory infections from being around cigarette smoke.

Judge Searles noted the couple had never actively abused their children and he believed they had the determination to improve their household so the boys could return home.

"You have been unable to cope. You've been living in circumstances that can only be described as deplorable and subjecting the children to it that you now have lost the care of those children ...," he said.

"I'm satisfied you're both loving parents but simply are unable to cope."

The man also pleaded guilty to assaulting his partner's mother. No conviction was recorded.

The boys are currently living with their paternal grandmother.