Six-month-old baby had ‘devastating’ brain injury

COURT: Woman, 23, admits horrific attacks on girl

A woman has admitted attacks on a sixmonth-old girl on Tayside that left the child badly brain-damaged.

Shannon Soutter, 23, from Blairgowrie, targeted the baby between February and April 2018.

The High Court in Glasgow heard the child’s long-term prognosis was “poor” and that she may have permanent blindness.

Soutter admitted assaulting the girl at an address in Arbroath to her severe injury, permanent impairment and to the danger of her life.

The court heard the child also sustained fractures to her skull, ribs, and ankle.

The girl was taken to hospital with her father, while Soutter went there with a woman in a car and was described as “acting normally”.

Prosecutor Ashley Edwards QC told the court: “She then discussed she had a hairdressing appointment on the Monday (two days later). She was annoyed that she might miss the appointment.”

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

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” the child.

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

Sentence was deferred for reports and Soutter was released on bail.

She had originally been charged with attempting to murder the six-month-old baby girl.

The infant was taken to hospital in Dundee on Saturday April 28.

She was initially taken to Ninewells Hospital but was then transferred to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh.

Police maintained a constant presence in the vicinity of a flat on St Vigeans Road, Arbroath, in the days after the attack.

Officers remained at the scene for five days but remained tight-lipped about details of the investigation.

They stood guard outside the front and back door of the house and could be seen searching back gardens.

It later emerged Angus councillors had been advised not to make any public comment on the case. At the time police said the infant’s injuries were being treated as “unexplained”.

Detective Inspector Scott Fotheringham later confirmed a joint child protection investigation was being carried out by Police Scotland, the NHS and social workers.

Throughout that time, the youngster’s condition was reported to be “critical” with serious injuries.

Shannon Soutter has admitted severely assaulting a baby.