Tollcross woman found guilty after smashing 4-year-old's head against door

A woman smashed a four-year-old girl's head with a door leaving the child scarred for life, a court was told today.

Donna Ebanks, 38, assaulted the girl in her flat in Glasgow’s Tollcross in February last year.

The victim told Ebanks’ trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court that she was hit “three times” by the “angry” woman.

Ebanks was found guilty to assaulting the girl to her severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

The court heard Ebanks, who was looking after the child hit her head three times with a bedroom door.

Prosecutor Shona Howie asked the girl how she hurt her head.

The girl replied: “She was banging it, she was getting angry, angry and angry.”

The girl added that Ebanks hit her head “three times.”

The girl pointed to her forehead when she was asked where the door had hit her.

Her sister, now aged five, said: “She smashing stuff and the TV.

“It was scary and there was blood on my sister's face and she was crying.”

The court heard Ebanks phoned an ambulance and took the girl to hospital.

She was treated with six stitches on her forehead and will be permanently scarred.

Nurse, Elizabeth Duggan, told the court that the incident was “clear in my mind.”

She added: “I see thousands of children a year and this case stood out because of the circumstances and behaviour of the young children.”

Ebanks in evidence claimed the child had injured herself.

She told the court that she was cooking dinner in the kitchen when the girl banged her head.

She said: “I heard a bang and a loud cry.

“I was hysterical and panicked, all I could see was blood.

“I thought I was going to get the blame for this.”

Miss Howie asked: “Your first reaction was you were going to get in trouble for this?”

Ebanks replied: “I thought I was going to get the blame for this, look where I am now.”

Ebanks, originally from Birmingham, was found guilty by Sheriff Gillian Bryson.

Sheriff Bryson said “The evidence of the girls was credible, reliable and sufficient.

“They gave clear evidence about what happened.”

Sentence was deferred for reports until next month and Ebanks was bailed.

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