Drunken babysitter spared jail over toddler's injuries
A drunken babysitter, from Glasgow, who seized hold of a two-year-old boy causing injuries to his chest and groin area has escaped a jail sentence.
A drunken babysitter, from Glasgow, who seized hold of a two-year-old boy causing injuries to his chest and groin area has escaped a jail sentence.
The High Court in Glasgow heard that David Shaw, 25, from Baillieston, had also smoked several cannabis joints before looking after the child at a house in Glasgow on July 6, 2014.
Shaw admitted culpably and recklessly seizing hold of the boy, inflicting blunt force trauma to his body and groin area and applying pressure to his chest and compressing it by means unknown.
Advocate depute Rosemary Guinnane, prosecuting, said: “During the course of the afternoon Shaw was seen to drink around six or seven cans of lager and a bottle of Mad dog 20/20.
“In the evening he had several cans of cider and several joints of cannabis.”
Shaw was left looking after the child and when he saw he was bleeding decided to give him a bath. He grabbed the boy tightly by his pyjama top and chest and put him in the bath.
Ms Guinnane said: “The accused sought to restrain him while in the bath by holding him by the face and chin while still keeping hold of his pyjama top.”
When the boy's mother returned home she took her son to the accident and emergency department of Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
She said she asked Shaw: Did you batter my wean,: and he replied: “No.”
When the boy was examined a number of facial and head injuries were noted which included petechieal haemorrhages under both eyes, on the left side of the neck and the forehead.
A doctor who examined the boy said it was likely that the petechiae haemorrhages were caused by increased pressure around the area of the neck, although there was no mark to indicate a ligature round the neck and no fingertip bruising to suggest strangulation.
Judge Lady Rae ordered Shaw to perform 260 hours unpaid work in the community and said she was doing this with “ some reluctance.”
She added: “People who are in charge of a child have a great responsibility to care for that child and be responsible.
“The combination of alcohol and drugs is no excuse for handling a young boy roughly.”
Lady Rae also criticised the boy's mother for “allowing a drunken man who had taken drink and drugs” to look after her son.
The judge said that there was no lasting injury to the child and the charge Shaw pleaded guilty to was not even an assault and added: “I am prepared to impose a non-custodial sentence.”
But she warned Shaw if he breached the conditions of the order he would be brought back to court and sent to prison.
Defence counsel Margaret Breslin said: “He grabbed the child by the top of his pyjamas and put him in the shower and tried to wash him.
“Mr Shaw has been very, very vexed and distressed about what happened that night. He said it was him. He must have done something, but he couldn't understand what he had done.”