Baby is scarred for life in bath

Smith appeared before the High Court in Glasgow

A 26-year-old man has admitted mistreating a baby by dipping her into a bath of scalding hot water and scarring her for life.

The High Court in Glasgow heard how the then 16-month-old girl suffered horrific burns after being immersed.

Robert Smith, from Shawlands, Glasgow, was originally charged with attempting to murder the baby.

But he admitted wilfully ill-treating the baby in a manner likely to cause her suffering.

Sentence was deferred pending background reports.

The incident happened on 21 May, 2001, in a flat in the city's Govanhill area.

The court heard how the pattern of burns suggested Smith had held the baby by the pelvic area as he dropped her into the bath head down.

As her head went into the water the baby turned to protect her airway, resulting in only part of her head being burned while her legs were burned as she was lifted out.

Afterwards Smith told police he removed the child from the bath, wrapped her with towels soaked in cold water and then called for an ambulance.

Badly burned

But when paramedics arrived they said they found the baby "distressed and screaming" lying on a bed wearing only her nappy.

Her burns were so bad that when she was discovered by paramedics the skin was hanging off her hands and arms.

She was taken to the Victoria Infirmary and immediately transferred to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children at Yorkhill for treatment.

At the time her condition was so critical she had to be put on a life support machine and was sedated.

Doctors immediately informed the police of their belief that the girl had been deliberately scalded and when Smith was detained he initially denied responsibility for the offence.

She is now four and aware of her appearance and asking questions as to why it is she's different from other children Brian McConnachie, prosecuting

She has already been operated on seven times and faces more surgery in the future.

Brian McConnachie, prosecuting, said the child would be scarred for life and would have a bald area in her scalp that would never grow hair.

He said: "She will require future operations in an effort to improve the appearance of the scars.

"She still wears bandages on her hands to protect her skin.

"Psychologically it is impossible to say at this stage how she will be affected.

"She is now four and aware of her appearance and asking questions as to why it is she's different from other children."

'Single greet'

Gordon Jackson, QC, defending, said an older child had run the bath that day and Smith had not anticipated the horrendous consequences of dipping the child into the water for one to two seconds.

He said: "It was way beyond what anyone, including Smith, could have anticipated and there was no question of his repeatedly immersing the child.

"If the water had been five to ten degrees cooler it would have taken 30 seconds to cause the burning.

"Had it been a little bit cooler the child would have had a 'single greet' and he would have lifted her out within a second and she wouldn't have been burned."

Judge Ian Simpson called for reports on Smith and adjourned sentence until later this month.