Perthshire woman convicted of fracturing baby's skull and ribs

A Perthshire woman has been convicted of attacking a baby, leaving her with brain injuries, and fractures to her skull and ribs.

Shannon Soutter, 23, attacked the tiny girl over a two month period while apparently looking after her at a house in Arbroath, Angus.

A judge heard the child was rushed to hospital in late April 2018.

She was suffering from brain injuries as well as fractures to her skull, ribs and ankle.

The girl's anxious dad went with his sick daughter in the ambulance.

Soutter meantime went with a woman in a car. She was described as “acting normally”.

Prosecutor Ashley Edwards QC then told the High Court in Glasgow: “She then discussed she had a hairdressing appointment on the Monday (two days later).

“She was annoyed that she might miss the appointment.”

But, Soutter ended up being held by police after medics concluded the injuries were non accidental.

The first offender now faces a jail-term after she pled guilty to assaulting the girl to her severe injury, permanent impairment and to the danger of her life.

The child's long term prognosis meantime has been described as “poor”.

Soutter, of Blairgowrie, Perthshire, will be sentenced at a later date.

The charge spanned between February and April 2018.

The child was as young as six months when the assaults began.

In March 2018, Soutter once claimed the baby “hates me”.

Weeks later, she told a friend the child was “doing her head in”.

It was on April 28 last year, Soutter phoned the girl's dad asking him to call 999.

She said the child was not breathing properly.

When the man arrived, he found his daughter was “silent, limp and lifeless”.

Miss Edwards: ”She was gasping for breath breathing around four times a minute.”

Soutter claimed she had gone for a bath after putting the child in her cot.

She then heard the baby “gasping” and went to find her “unresponsive”.

The sick child was initially treated at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.

It was en-route Soutter made the comment about the hairdressers.

The baby had a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain. X-rays also revealed rib fractures of “differing ages”.

Miss Edwards: “Blood samples confirmed that there were no medical explanation that would account for her presentation and injuries.”

Tests also showed she may have permanent blindness.

A probe was launched by both police and social workers.

Soutter initially claimed she had been “rocking” the child and that she “may” have bumped her head off a table.

The court was told some of the injuries had resulted from “shaking” of the child.

The rib fractures had been caused by “gripping” of the child.

The leg fracture was meantime was called a “rotational-injury”.

Miss Edwards said the brain injury was described as “devastating” by medics.

The prosecutor: “Her prognosis is very poor and she will have lifelong disability.”

Soutter initially gave two statements to the police.

This included her claiming she had “no idea” how the brain and rib injuries occurred.

It also emerged she had made an internet search asking “what happens” if a baby is hit.

But, she insisted this was to do with “back slaps” when the child had not been breathing.

Soutter also told a police doctor that “her head was all over the place” and that had suffered panic attacks.

The case was adjourned for reports. Soutter was bailed meantime