Baby’s injuries spark calls for probe into unit

CALLS have been made for an urgent inquiry into the standards of care at a child protection unit after a baby suffered 21 rib fractures and broken knees while staying with his parents.

The infant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was staying with his drug addict parents at the Strathbrock Family Unit in Broxburn and had been placed on the child protection register when the injuries occurred.

Doctors who examined the infant said “significant force” would have been needed to cause the rib and knee fractures, discovered when the child was admitted to hospital last September.

Peter Johnston, leader of the SNP group at West Lothian council, said: “In these circumstances, there’s absolutely no hiding place for anyone involved in looking after infants.”