Thornliebank couple plead guilty to leaving an injured 11-week old baby in pain
43-year old Mark Watson and 40-year old Lorraine Donnan delayed treatment on the tot to take another child to Disney on Ice
A callous couple left a badly injured baby in pain while one took another child to see Disney on Ice. Mark Watson, 43, and Lorraine Donnan, 40, decided to take the 11 week-old tot, who they had in their care, to the hospital the day after the performance. Donnan had already agreed to take a three-year-old girl, and had “spent a lot of money on tickets”.
The baby wasn't seen by medics until six days after he suffered a fractured thigh bone when he fell from a couch. Watson and Donnan, from Thornliebank, Glasgow, pled guilty at the city's sheriff court to wilfully neglecting the baby and failing to get medical attention after noticing the baby was in discomfort and pain. They were due to be sentenced but sheriff Paul Crozier deferred sentence for further reports and for the pair to be of good behaviour.
The court heard Donnan was watching the baby on April 26, 2016 and “momentarily” left him on the couch, not thinking he could move. But, he fell on to the floor and and was described as “making purring noises but had then settled for a few minutes and taken his bottle as normal”. She later told her partner what happened.
Procurator fiscal depute Mark Allan said: “For the following few days the baby had vomited after feeding, which was unusual for him, and he had cried more than usual.
“The accused did not attribute this to the fall from the couch.”
Days later on April 29, Donnan suggested taking him to be seen by a doctor but Watson “convinced” here that it wasn't necessary and he wouldn't be able to get cover for his job, as a greenkeeper, at short notice.
Mr Allan continued: “On the morning of May 1, on bathing the baby both Watson and Donnan noticed his right leg to be swollen and bruised.
“This was the first time he had been bathed since falling from the couch. He also seemed to be in a lot of pain on moving his right leg and was unsettled on being picked up. They decided that they would arrange to have him medically examined, but decided to postpone for a day. The primary reason for this decision was that Donnan had already purchased two tickets to go to a Disney on Ice show.”
Later when interviewed by police, Watson described having “spent a lot of money on the tickets” which the court heard was £40. Donnan also told police that her partner had a day off on May 2.
The child was seen at the Royal Hospital for children and a consultant heard about his fall from the couch.
Watson and Donnan told of the tickets for the Disney on Ice show delayed them bringing to be examined after seeing the injuries the previous day.
An x-ray showed a fracture to his right thigh bone and he was given painkillers. He was put in a harness to immobilize his leg and kept in until May 6.
On May 14 the couple were detained and Donnan said: “I didn't do anything, he fell off the couch. I am not an abuser at al, I was through in the other room, I am not an abuser I didn't do anything.”
During his police interview Watson said the leg had a swelling which they thought would go down and admitted knowing the baby was badly injured on May 1.
He said “I just thought it would wait til the next day” but also admitted “I should have put him first ahead of the tickets”.
Deferring sentence sheriff Crozier said: “Be under no illusion, this is an extremely serious matter and you will be punished.''