Baby assault man escapes jail

Laurie was sentenced at Glasgow Sheriff Court

A man who seriously injured a baby when she would not stop crying has escaped a jail sentence.

William Laurie, 21, was put on probation and given a substantial community service order after admitting assaulting the three-week-old girl.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard that Laurie, from the Gorbals area of the city, squeezed the baby with such force that he fractured her ribs.

Child safety campaigners said they were disappointed with the sentence.

The court heard that Laurie had regularly looked after the baby at her home in Glasgow and had been caring for her on 19 February, 2003, the day the assault took place.

Public interest

The injuries were discovered when the baby's mother visited her local GP with her daughter later that day.

The doctor examined the girl and then sent her to hospital where an X-ray was carried out and two badly fractured ribs were found.

Laurie had originally blamed the baby's mother for the injuries but eventually confessed to the assault.

Although he could have been sent to prison for up to three years, Sheriff Daniel Convery said the public interest would be better served by probation.

He put Laurie on probation for 30 months and ordered him to carry out 240 hours' community service.

However, the sentence surprised the campaign group Children 1st.

A spokeswoman said: "Children depend on adults to keep them safe. Offending behaviour should be addressed so that it never happens again."