Probation for woman over shaken baby case

Published on Tuesday 22 September 2009 22:10

A WOMAN who shook a baby and caused bleeding around its brain has been put on probation for three years and ordered to carry out 200 hours of community work.

Marion MacDermid, 33, of Meiklejohn Court, Thurso, Caithness, was told by a judge that her offence would normally attract a jail term. But Lord Kingarth said he was not satisfied that the public interest would be best served by sending her to prison.

After an earlier trial, MacDermid was convicted of assaulting the two-month-old boy to his severe injury and the danger of his life.

The jury heard that the child had been taken to hospital in August 2007 after appearing pale and being sick, and doctors found bleeding around the brain, an indication of his having been shaken. There was no evidence to show any permanent harm had been caused to the baby.

The defence counsel, Edward Targowski, QC, said it was a "very tragic case". He added that MacDermid had been examined, and while she was fit and able to undergo a custodial sentence, concerns had been expressed about whether she was emotionally strong enough to cope with incarceration.

Sentencing MacDermid at the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Kingarth said she had no history of any kind of violent behaviour. Also, psychiatrists had reported that there was "no doubt" she had been suffering from mental health problems at the time of the offence. She had been assessed as posing a low risk of reoffending.

The judge was satisfied that MacDermid had been under "considerable emotional stress" and that she would receive the support and help she required while on probation.