Woman burned baby boy with hairdryer and fractured his skull

A woman who burned a nine-month-old baby boy’s bottom with a hairdryer and fractured his skull has been jailed for four years.

Lyndsay Lawrence, 29, attacked the infant at an address in Camelon, Falkirk, on 4 December 2020 while looking after him for his mother.

A judge at the High Court in Edinburgh told her they were “undoubtedly serious offences”.

Lord Tyre stated: “Blows to a baby’s head and shaking are obviously intentional injuries.

“There can be no excuse whatever for the infliction of such injuries on a small and vulnerable child entrusted to your care.”

The judge added: “To make matters worse, they were committed while you were in a position of trust in relation to the child.”

Lawrence, formerly of Camelon, denied any wrongdoing but was convicted last month following a trial.

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Advocate depute Lynsey Rodger told the court that the boy’s demeanour changed after being left alone with Lawrence.

The prosecutor said up until that point, he had not been suffering from a fractured skull, bleeding on the brain and significant burns to his bottom.

Ms Rodger stated: “There was a high pitch shriek, a grunt or a noise. His eyes went back. He was rigid and then he was floppy. He wasn’t normal at that point.

“There is only one person that knows what happened to the baby on 4 December. That person is the person who caused the injuries.”

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The prosecutor said the injuries were “non-accidental” and “deliberate”.

She added: “The evidence, when you put it together, tells you that the person who caused the injuries is the accused.”

Lawrence, who sought help for the boy when he became ill, denied that she hit or dropped him.

The jury deleted a charge of attempted murder and instead found Lawrence guilty of assaulting the boy to his severe injury and to the danger of his life.

She was also convicted of wilfully exposing the child to unnecessary suffering or injury.

Sentencing Lawrence on Tuesday, Lord Tyre stated: “The jury were clearly satisfied that you inflicted the baby’s head injuries, including but not restricted to those caused by shaking him.

“They were satisfied on the evidence that those injuries were of sufficient severity to cause danger to his life.

“They were also satisfied that you had burned him on the bottom with a hairdryer.”

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The court heard Lawrence continues to deny injuring the boy.

Lord Tyre added: “And it appears that you have little insight into the harm that you have caused.”

The judge told jurors that it was a “rather distressing and unpleasant case” but noted that the boy “happily appears” to have made a “good recovery” from his injuries.

Following the court case, Detective Constable Jonathan McRitchie said: “Lawrence’s actions resulted in serious injuries to a defenceless child and she will now face the consequences.

“This type of behaviour is completely unacceptable, and her conviction should send out a clear message that Police Scotland is committed to bringing the perpetrators of these crimes to justice.”

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