A woman who pleaded guilty to infanticide has been put on 2 years probation.

38 year old Wati Apenisa in November last year, disposed off her new born in a pit toilet and closed the lid.

A psychiatric analysis found that the widowed mother of 7 she was suffering severe depression at the time.

Judge Justice Paul Madigan ruled that a custodial sentence serves no purpose, and she is to stay in her village in Moala in the Lau Group.

Apenisa is to be under the supervision of a Welfare Officer who visits the island periodically.

The court heard that at the time of the offence, she had been afraid of her relatives finding out about the pregnancy because she is a widow.