Father on trial over baby's death

The couple appeared at the High Court in Glasgow

A father has gone on trial accused of murdering his eight-month-old daughter.

It is claimed that Faisal Younas, 35, shook Alishba Younas to death at his Glasgow home in September 2005.

He is also charged, along with his wife, 34-year-old Bano Younas, of neglecting the child who was born on Christmas Day in 2004.

The couple, who deny all charges, appeared before Glasgow High Court accused of failing to properly feed the baby and provide clean clothes.

Alishba was taken to Glasgow's Yorkhill Hospital with head and neck injuries on 16 September, 2005. The child died two days later.

Health visitor

Faisal and Bano Younas, who live in the city's Pollokshields area, are accused of failing to get urgent medical help for Alishba the previous month, when she sustained head and arm injuries.

The charge states that they failed to take the baby to Yorkhill despite being told to by a health visitor.

The neglect charges also claim that the couple failed to ensure Alishba was fed properly from birth and failed to dress her in "clean and appropriate" clothing.

Younas is also accused of assaulting a six-year-old child from July 2002 to September 2005 by repeatedly hitting the child on the head and body with his hand.

The couple, dressed in suits, were accompanied in the dock on Monday by two interpreters.

The trial, before a jury, is expected to last six weeks.