Baby’s injuries ‘were not caused by fall from couch’
INJURIES suffered by a nine-month-old baby were unlikely to have been caused by falling from a couch, a murder bid trial was told.
Dr Katherine McKay was giving evidence for a second day at the trial of William Robertson, who denies attempting to murder the baby at his flat in Clydebank, on September 9, last year.
Dr McKay, who works at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow, told prosecutor Greg Farrell she examined the baby, who cannot be named for legal reasons, two days after she was admitted to hospital.
She said the child had extensive bruising to her forehead, inner ear and a fractured skull.
The jury was shown photographs of the couch Robertson claims the baby fell from, and told the seat was 18 inches high, the arm 25-26 inches high and the back 34 to 35 inches high.
Dr McKay said: “The height is not likely to cause a skull fracture. The baby was mobile at nine months. I would expect a baby to put out her hands to save herself.”
The consultant added she did not think the injuries were consistent with a fall from the couch’s arm or back.
In her report she stated the baby’s injuries are consistent with “several episodes of injury” and added: “the child has suffered non-accidental injury.”
Robertson told paramedics and his sister the baby fell from the couch while he was caring for her.
Dr McKay said babies often fall at nine months, and added: “It would suggest if you get this degree of bruising, this degree of skull fracture and this degree of ear injury that something significant has happened.”
The consultant agreed with defence QC Donald Findlay that there is no way of ageing bruises.
The QC asked Dr McKay: “You saw the little girl on September 11, would you agree that the dating of bruising is notoriously difficult,” and she replied: “Yes.”
Robertson is also accused of being unfit to care for the baby because he had taken alcohol and smoked controlled substances. He is also alleged to have had cannabis in his possession on September 8, last year.
He denies all charges and the trial before Judge Norman Ritchie continues.