Glasgow baby killer father jailed for at least 16 years

Craig Jamieson was given a life sentence

A man convicted of murdering his baby daughter in a "vicious attack" has been jailed for a minimum of 16 years.

Craig Jamieson, 30, from Drumchapel in Glasgow, killed four-month-old Abbie at a flat in the city's Dumbarton Road in February 2008.

Medical experts said her injuries were caused by her being hit off a hard surface like a wall or a worktop.

Jamieson had blamed the child's mother, Nichola Haddock, from Belfast, but a jury convicted him by majority verdict.

During a 19-day trial, the High Court in Glasgow heard that Jamieson shattered Abbie's skull and left her with horrific abdominal injuries after he attacked her on 8 February 2008.

Abbie died from massive blood loss and shock.

The nature of her injuries signifies strongly that this was not some momentary loss of control Temporary judge Alastair Stewart QC

It is believed she may have been swung by the ankles and smashed against something hard and then punched repeatedly in the stomach.

Medical experts said Abbie could only have received her injuries while Jamieson was looking after her.

He had told police that Abbie woke at about 0915 GMT, after which he fed her porridge and a bottle of milk.

But medical experts told the court that having suffered horrific injuries to her head and abdomen, Abbie would not have been able to eat or suck on a bottle.

This disproved Jamieson's assertion that Abbie's mother, Nichola Haddock, had harmed the baby.

The 29-year-old social work and child care student left the house they shared in Glasgow after 0700 GMT on 8 February to attend a lecture at Glasgow Caledonian University.

Abbie died after being hit off of a hard surface

Jamieson was the only person who had been in the house during the crucial period.

During the trial Jamieson, through his defence QC Ronnie Watson, argued that Ms Haddock was either suffering from post-natal depression or Factitious Disorder, where a mother tries to get attention for herself by harming her child.

But the jury did not believe this and took just under four hours to convict Jamieson of Abbie's murder.

Sentencing Jamieson, judge Stewart told him: "The jury found you guilty of the brutal murder of a defenceless child.

"The nature of her injuries signifies strongly that this was not some momentary loss of control.

"This was compounded by the fact that far from showing any remorse you sought to lay blame on Abbie's mother, a woman who stood by you for a period of time."

Ms Haddock's family said in a statement that it needed time to come to terms with Abbie's death.

The statement said: "With the sentencing in Scotland of Craig Jamieson today the family of baby Abbie simply wish to come to terms with their tragic loss and will be issuing no statements - other than to say that at this difficult time they need privacy to grieve and to attempt to come to terms with all that has happened. They respectfully request their wishes are observed."