Court told girl could suffer lifelong problems after sitter’s assault

A BABYsITTer was found guilty yesterday of shaking an eight-month-old girl so violently that she was left with bleeding on the brain.

Syeda Begum was employed by the family of the tot, who can’t be named for legal reasons, so they could continue to run their small business in Aberdeen.

On New Year’s Day 2017, the 28-year-old called the family at about 9pm to tell them that something was wrong.

The baby’s mother told a trial BY JAMIE BEATSON at the High Court in Aberdeen she went to Begum’s flat in the city and found her daughter “floppy and blue”.

The girl was rushed to hospital in a critical condition. She suffered seizures in the days afterwards and remained in hospital for two weeks.

Medics told the trial the girl, now two, could potentially have problems with learning, memory and concentration in the future.

Dr Lynne McDonald, part of the child protection team at Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, said scans made them suspect “deliberate harm” had come to the child.

Begum denied a charge of assault to severe injury and danger of life.

She told the court she had been playing with the child and then left her alone for a few minutes.

She claimed when she returned, she found the tot collapsed and gasping for breath. Begum added: “I could never harm a child.”

After a two-week trial, the jury took just over two hours to find her guilty by majority.

Judge Lord Uist deferred sentence until April 9.

Begum broke down in tears as he told her: “I am prepared to continue your bail until that date… but nothing should be inferred from the fact I am continuing bail about what the sentence is likely to be for this crime.”