Woman admits insulin baby assault

Duncan admitted the assault at the High Court in Edinburgh

A woman has admitted assaulting a four-month-old baby girl by repeatedly injecting her with insulin.

Veronica Duncan, 41, a patient at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, appeared briefly at the High Court in Edinburgh.

She was originally facing a charge of attempting to murder the child at a house in the Borders on 7 March.

A guilty plea was accepted to a reduced charge of assaulting the baby to her severe injury and to the danger of her life. The case was adjourned.

The court heard that the child - who cannot be named for legal reasons - was repeatedly injected with insulin by Duncan.

This case obviously has tragic circumstances for everyone involved Andrew Murphy Defence counsel

It caused the baby's blood glucose level to drop thereby inducing a state of hypoglycaemia.

Advocate depute Alastair Brown told temporary judge Roger Craik QC that Duncan had no previous convictions.

He asked the judge's permission to defer giving details of the offence until Thursday.

The prosecutor explained that the case had been "very large in the life" of the victim's family since the assault on their daughter.

He said they could not be present at the court.

"It seems to be only right that they should be present to hear the narrative given," he said.

Background reports

The advocate depute said Duncan, who was described as being detained in the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, was presently the subject of a treatment order made in May this year.

"This case obviously has tragic circumstances for everyone involved," said defence counsel Andrew Murphy.

He said he would not be making a plea in mitigation at this stage as he expected background reports on Duncan would be called for.

The judge agreed to adjourn the proceedings until Thursday.