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A mum who burned a 'smiley' mark onto her 16-month-old baby's face with a cigarette lighter and kept a photo of it on her phone is facing jail.

The vile woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, heated up the metal part of the lighter then placed on her daughter's cheek causing her immense pain.

Police later found an picture of the red mark on her mobile.

The 24-year-old woman claimed she treated the burn with cold water at the time, but it was still clearly visible six months later.

She was found guilty of three counts of child cruelty by a jury who did not believe her account that the baby fell off a bed and onto a hot radiator valve.

Her partner, 25, was cleared of causing the same child grievous bodily harm after the child also suffered a fractured leg in another incident.

He denied handling the infant roughly and told the jury she slipped from her high chair and landed on the floor.

Her mother took the child to hospital the next day.

Kevin Barry, prosecuting at Leicester Crown Court, said the child could not walk due to a "buckle fracture."

The injured left shin was placed in a plaster cast.

But within days, the mother removed the cast and failed to attend a follow up hospital appointment on June 12, 2012 or a second appointment on July 4.

The mother's sister reported her concerns to social services and the police investigated the matter, said Mr Barry.

The mother was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing and warned she will be jailed.

Judge Philip Head said: "The jury has found her to be a serial liar.

"It's inevitable she's facing a substantial prison sentence."

The mother's partner is not the baby's natural father, the court was told.

Describing the burn injury, Mr Barry told the jury: "The burn is consistent with (the mother) heating up the metal part of a disposable lighter and pressing the hot metal onto the child's left cheek, effectively branding her with an imprint of the top of the lighter."

He said pictures of the burn, which was inflicted in May 2012, and a facial bruise were later found on the defendant's phone.

In an interview with police after her arrest, the mum claimed she treated the burn at home.

Mr Barry claimed her account was inconsistent with how the injury happened and she admitted in her police interview knowing how to cause a "smiley" burn mark on skin.