BABY KILLER DAD JAILED
Six-and-half years for taking daughter’s life
A dad who killed his threemonth- old daughter when she would not stop crying has been jailed for six-and-a-half years.
Traherne Williams hurled tiny Sophia Williams on to a couch causing catastrophic brain damage.
A judge heard how Williams had become “absolutely frustrated” that the baby would not take her feed.
The 23-year-old later lied to a doctor, claiming Sophia had fallen at a family centre they had been staying at in Broxburn.The child never recovered and died in hospital in June 2016.
Williams returned to the High Court in Glasgow on Tuesday having earlier pled guilty to a culpable homicide charge.
His QC told how the child killer plans to help “inexperienced adults” struggling to cope with life when he is freed from jail.
Lord Matthews told Williams parenthood was an “enormous privilege” and that a “babe in arms” is a
“delicate creature”. He said the jail term would have been eight years but for his guilty plea.
Lord Matthews went on: “You became frustrated and threw the defenceless child – your own flesh and blood – on to a sofa. This was before she had any chance to engage in the gift of life which you helped give her.”
Williams smiled at his 20- year-old partner Shannon Main – the child’s mother – as he was led handcuffed to the cells. The pair originally faced a murder allegation. Williams instead admitted the reduced charge. Main, of Philip Avenue, Linlithgow, walked free after her not guilty plea was accepted.
A hearing last month was told she is standing by the man who killed their child.
The court heard how social workers were involved with the family from when Sophia was aged just two weeks.
This was due to “concerns” about the couple’s “parenting abilities” and they ended up at the Strathbrock Family Unit in Broxburn.
The centre is a homeless unit – the couple were staying there while waiting for their own tenancy.
On May 28, two days before the fatal attack, an ill Sophia was taken to hospital. It was suspected the child had a virus but she was deemed well enough to go home.
On May 30, the pair were at the unit with Sophia when Main tried to feed her but she was found to be “less responsive than usual”.
Later, her parents were not able to rouse her. Main then contacted St John’s Hospital in Livingston.
Prosecutor Angela Gray said: “When paramedics arrived, it was immediately apparent the child was extremely sick.”
Sophia never recovered, was pronounced dead the following day and was found to have a “traumatic head injury”.
A police probe soon began into Sophia’s tragic death.
Williams’ QC Ian Duguid said: “He is actually determined ( when he is released) to engage in some kind of work which helps inexperienced adults.
“He is keen to pass on what he has experienced so others do not make the same terrible mistake he made.”
Detective Chief Inspector Rory Hamilton, of Police Scotland’s Major Investigation team, said: “The injuries inflicted upon Sophia by her father left her with significant brain damage from which she could not recover.
“Traherne Williams was in charge of his daughter’s care and his despicable actions robbed her of her future.
“I would like to thank Sophia’s extended family for their support and co-operation and it is my sincere hope that the sentence handed to Williams offers them some form of closure so that they may begin to move on with their lives.”
His despicable actions robbed her of her future