Glasgow man left baby brain damaged after violent attack

A Glasgow man who violently shook an eight-week old baby boy tried to blame his puppy.

25-year old Paul Carlton from Nitshill left him with life changing brain injuries in August 2017.

He was supposedly looking after the child at his home when the incident took place.

At the High Court in Glasgow, he claimed he had been briefly tidying his garden when he heard a cry from inside, and told of how he had left the boy in the flat in his baby swing alone with his two dogs.

Carlton described one of the pets – a cross American Bulldog-staffordshire terrier puppy called Sapphire – as "boisterous".

He insisted the dog had once previously harmed another child.

Carlton said he could "speculate" Sapphire seriously injured the baby as he did not.

But, prosecutors said that was only possible if the dog had picked up the boy, shook him "vigorously" then placed him back in the swing.

Jurors convicted Carlton of attempted murder at the High Court in Glasgow.

The trial was told the child – now aged two – can not crawl, walk or talk.

Heavily tattooed Carlton showed no emotion as he was remanded in custody pending sentencing next month.

The boy had been in and out of hospital since he was 10 days old.

His last stay was the day before he was attacked.

Carlton was looking after the boy on August 9 2017 while the child's mum went for a beauty appointment and lunch with her sister.

The baby had been checked by a health visitor that morning and found to be fine.

Carlton sent the woman a video of her son while she was out waving and kicking his legs.

The mum left her son that day at 12.58pm – by 2.29pm Carlton had dialled 999.

Carlton told jurors he had been out in the garden when he heard a "loud cry".

He claimed he went back indoors and realised something was wrong.

He said: "He was not opening his eyes properly." Carlton's grandparents visited and agreed the child needed medical help.

The baby was found to have suffered massive brain damage.

Professor Robin Sellar – a neuro-radiologist – was asked in court how the injuries could have occurred.

He told jurors: "In that time frame, something very dramatic has happened. The injuries are consistent with a shaking injury."

Carlton denied being responsible for what happened.

He said: "I would never hurt any child."

Carlton claimed he was not "covering up" the attack and had not wanted to "end the life" of the baby.

Asked about his dog Sapphire, he then claimed she was a "very hyper puppy" at the time who "did not know her own strength".

He said the pet had previously "cut and bruised" a little girl.

His lawyer Dale Hughes asked him: "If there was an example of this dog being potentially harmful, why let it near the boy?"

Carlton: "I thought because I had another dog she would learn from him and calm down possibly."

Prosecutor Alan Cameron went on to point out the boy had no bite marks or cuts associated with a possible dog attack.

He put to Carlton: "The dog would have to have picked the boy up, shaken him with such vigour and put him back where he was or collide with him with such force."

Carlton: "I understand where the hospital is coming from, but the only explanation I have is the dog as I know I did not harm the child."

Mr Cameron: "The dog is just speculation?" He replied: "Yes."

It emerged during the trial Carlton had previously been violent to the boy's mum.

This included headbutting her causing her nose to bleed.

Lord Burns deferred sentencing for reports.