Life of criminal neglect accused Rodney David Clough laid bare

The life of the man accused of the criminal neglect of his two-year-old nephew has been detailed in court – his first serious brush with the law almost left another person dead.

Emma Short and Rodney Clough are accused of the criminal neglect of Little Jimmy.

The past 14 years of the life of a man accused of submerging his nephew in boiling water have been laid bare in court as it is revealed his first serious brush with the law almost left another person dead.

Rodney David Clough was in August charged with the criminal neglect of his two-year-old nephew Little Jimmy, and now it can be revealed he is facing a series of other offences, one of which he was on bail for at the time of the alleged neglect.

Mr Clough, 40, on Monday pleaded guilty in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court to five breaches of bail, driving under disqualification and driving unregistered.

During his Monday court appearance the details of his life, the charges he was still facing and the alleged criminal neglect unfurled.

The unresolved cases stacked against his name include the aggravated assault of his former partner and a series of alleged theft offences from November last year, the court heard.

Rodney David Clough, who has been charged with the criminal neglect of his nephew. Picture: Facebook

The driving offences he pleaded to were made more serious by a driving disqualification hanging over his head from 10 years prior when he was sentenced to prison for causing the serious injury of somebody by driving dangerously.

The court heard Mr Clough was sentenced to a more than three year term of imprisonment for that offence and others. As a result, he spent 18-months behind bars.

Out of jail and unlicensed, Mr Clough was free from the eyes of the law for years, the court was told, before he was accused of the aggravated assault of his ex-partner, a charge that has since been indicated may be dropped.

Andrew Williams, for Clough, told the court his client had again spent time behind bars on that allegation, before being bailed to live with his mother Dennise Shepherd.

The court on Monday heard a few days after being bailed to his mum’s house Mr Clough got in an argument with his brother Rick Clough, the father of Little Jimmy and husband of criminal neglect co-accused Emma Jade Short.

Mr Williams told the court his client was kicked out of his mother’s home for trying to stop his brother Rick from allegedly assaulting Ms Short.

Emma Jade Short, arrives with supporters at her bail address in Freeling, SA. Emma Short is charged with criminal neglect of her son *Jimmy. Photographer NCA NewsWire

Mr Williams told the court Mr Clough had been living homeless, and “hand to mouth”, since he was 15.

Upon being kicked out of his mother’s house, the court heard, Mr Clough was again homeless.

Mr Williams said, to get around having nowhere to sleep, Mr Clough bought a $1500 car off of Gumtree.

That car, the court heard, would be his home.

But Mr Clough choosing to live that way ended up leading to the offences he pleaded guilty to on Monday, the court was told.

That was because his 2012 drive dangerous conviction had seen him handed a 10-year license disqualification.

In owning his car and subsequently driving it Mr Clough was “compounding” the predicament he found himself in, as described by Magistrate Christopher Smolicz.

“Your actions compounded the offences before the court today,” Mr Smolicz said.

By July this year Mr Clough’s alleged offences were mounting.

He had breached his bail four times, twice in July and twice in August.

The final two of those breaches occurred either side of the alleged criminal neglect of Little Jimmy.

Mr Anderson described to the court how the final of those breaches occurred because he was in prison before facing the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on the alleged neglect.

On the charges Mr Clough pleaded guilty to, convictions were recorded and no further penalty was imposed.

He will again face court in November.