Married to a monster
Sinclair wed grieving mum on tot’s first birthday
A killer East Kilbride dad is pictured smiling with his bride on their wedding day just months after shaking their baby to death.
Evil David Sinclair (34) collected hundreds of pounds from guests for the Scottish Cot Death Trust on what would have been tragic Joshua’s first birthday. His lies were exposed when a review found evidence of trauma to the tot’s eyes and brain which was not caused by accident.
Sinclair last week admitted to the culpable homicide of his four-month-old son at the High Court in Glasgow.
A killer dad posed smiling beside his bride on their wedding day just months after he shook their baby son to death at their East Kilbride home.
David Sinclair lied to hide his attack on four-month-old Joshua, then married the tot’s mum Kirsty on what would have been their little boy’s first birthday.
He tried to cover his tracks at the wedding by encouraging guests to donate to a cot death charity.
But the supermarket worker was finally caught and charged with murder when experts reviewed the case.
And he was in jail awaiting sentence on Thursday after admitting the lesser charge of culpable homicide at the High Court in Glasgow.
The court heard Kirsty is pregnant again and is standing by her husband.
Sinclair (34) killed his son on December 6, 2012, after a day out swimming and shopping with Joshua and Kirsty in East Kilbride town centre.
Kirsty then went to visit her mum and sister at 5.30pm leaving Joshua at home in Ontario Park, Westwood, with his dad.
But 11 minutes after she left, Sinclair called her and said: “Joshua isn’t breathing properly. Come home right away.”
Sinclair then hung up and dialled 999. The operator told him how to give Joshua CPR but he was doing nothing when paramedics arrived.
He claimed Joshua had made a strange noise then stopped breathing. The court heard Joshua was lying face up on the floor, was pale and appeared not to be breathing.
Medics at Hairmyres Hospital battled for an hour to save him but the baby was pronounced dead at 6.55pm with his parents at his side.
Doctors could not find the cause of Joshua’s death at the time and Sinclair was left free to marry Kirsty on July 9, 2013.
They had a “wedding with a difference” at the town’s Langlands Golf Club with guests asked to donate to charity.
A charity skydive and a collection in the town were also held.
More than £5300 was raised, and the effort was reported in a Scottish Cot Death Trust newsletter.
Sinclair’s crime was exposed after the review found evidence of trauma to Joshua’s eyes and brain which was not caused by accident.
One of the experts involved, Dr Peter Richards, said the injuries were compatible with “a shaking event” where “a carer has a momentary loss of control”.
Sinclair had been to his GP four days before killing Joshua.
He told the doctor he felt depressed and angry and had an urge to lash out.
But defence counsel Ian Duguid QC told the court the trip to the doctor was a ruse.
He said Sinclair was out of work at the time and being “required to attend for job interviews”, and went to the doctor so he would get time off to help his wife with Joshua.
Mr Duguid said Sinclair wasn’t doing CPR when the paramedics arrived because he had to answer the door.
He added: “He found it unimaginable his handling of his child would have resulted in such catastrophic injuries.
“He is extremely remorseful. Witnesses in double figures would have come forward to talk of his caring abilities as a parent.”
Sinclair has previous convictions for assault.
Lord Bracadale deferred sentence until next month for background reports.
Kirsty was not in court to hear the details of her son’s death.
The senior investigating officer, Detective Chief Inspector Laura McLuckie, said: “David Sinclair admitted to being responsible for the death of his baby son, Joshua, who died needlessly at a young and vulnerable age.
“My sincere condolences go out to Joshua’s extended family, who have endured this harrowing incident and continue to live with the pain of Joshua’s untimely death.
“A defenceless baby died at the hands of his father, the one person whose role was to protect and care for him.
“Child abuse in any form is a deplorable crime. Police Scotland will thoroughly investigate any report we receive, regardless of when the crime occurred, to ensure those responsible are held to account for their actions.”
His father.. the one person whose role was to protect and care for him