Man jailed for sexually assaulting baby in Ayrshire
The High Court in Glasgow heard how Kusz tried to blame her mum for the tot's injuries which a doctor described as the "most severe" they had ever seen.
A man who subjected a baby girl to a sexual assault so severe that she required surgery has been jailed for 10 years.
43-year-old, Alan Kusz, struck at the 14-month-old infant's family home in Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, in April 2018.
The High Court in Glasgow heard how Kusz tried to blame her mum for the tot's injuries which a doctor described as the "most severe" they had ever seen.
When police apprehended Kusz - who was often in the company of the child and her mum - he said that he had left the baby and her mother one evening to walk his dog.
He insisted on his return the girl was "screaming" before she later ended up in hospital.
But now Kusz, who was convicted of sexually assaulting the child to her permanent impairment, has been sent to prison following a hearing on Tuesday at the High Court in Edinburgh.
He had been sent to Edinburgh to learn his fate after the judge at his Glasgow proceedings deferred sentence last month to obtain reports about his character and background.
Passing sentence, judge Lord Armstrong made reference to the fact that Kusz maintains he is innocent of any wrong doing.
He added: "It is difficult to imagine a more vulnerable victim. You continue to deny any responsibility for the crime of which you have been convicted.
"The criminal justice social work report indicates that you display limited empathy towards the victim of your crime and that you have limited awareness of the harm that you have caused.
"The author of the report suggests that you lack insight into your offending and that you present a significant risk of re-offending of a similar serious nature.
"Society has an abhorrence of such conduct and it is the responsibility of the court to reflect what. Young and vulnerable children are all entitled to care and protection.
"It is important that those who might be disposed to commit crimes of sexual abuse against children, in the way that you did, understand that they are likely to receive significant custodial penalties once brought to justice.
"I am satisfied that, in your case, there is no appropriate alternative disposal to one of imprisonment."
At proceedings earlier this year, the court heard how the "world came crashing down" for the child's mum after her daughter was left badly injured on April 9 2018.
In her speech to jurors, prosecutor Lisa Gillespie said: "There was her obvious upset when she described what she saw."
The court heard how the youngster ended up needing surgery.
A paediatrician said the injury was the "most severe" he had ever seen.
Kusz was later arrested and DNA helped to link him to where the attack took place.
The court heard that the child had recovered from surgery but that it was "difficult" to say what the future holds for her.
On Tuesday, judge Lord Armstrong also placed Kusz on the Sex Offenders Register for life.
The court heard that the assault on the girl has affected her continuing development.
Lord Armstrong added: "It is clear that your actions have had a massively negative effect on her ongoing development and that she exhibits the manifest consequences of her resulting physical and emotional trauma.
"The sentence which I now impose on you, commensurate with my public duty, is one of a period of imprisonment for 10 years.