Babysitter inflicted ‘horrific’ injuries on girl, 2, in his care

A DOCTOR who treated a toddler who was physically attacked by her babysitter described the child’s wounds as the “worst genital injuries” he had ever seen.

Jaimi Watt, 24, who inflicted injuries on the child while he was looking after her while her mother was at work, is facing a lengthy jail sentence after pleading guilty to the assault.

The little girl was taken to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh by relatives and kept her eyes shut for 24 hours in the wake of the ordeal – even when speaking to staff and family members.

A consultant paediatrician who was called in said she had never seen such a seriously traumatised child.

Surgeons had to operate to repair a deep ragged internal tear suffered by the two-year-old following the assault by Watt.

Advocate depute Alison Di Rollo told Edinburgh High Court: “Police and medical staff who were present as events unfolded speak of a distinct feeling of mutual shock in the examination room, of recoiling as her injuries became apparent and of having difficulty keeping emotions in check.”

A forensic physician who took part in an examination of the victim said she had the worst genital injuries he had ever seen in a child or adult. The child was also found to have an adult human bite mark on her right thigh, a bruised mouth and swollen lip as well as scratches.

Unemployed Watt of Wallyford, East Lothian, was left looking after the girl when her mother went to work. Her grandmother arrived to pick up the child for nursery, but found the girl crying hard and rubbing an eye, said Ms Di Rollo.

The prosecutor said the girl cried inconsolably during the journey, kept her eyes shut and said her bottom was “dirty”. The grandmother took her to her mother’s home where it was found she had been bitten and was bleeding profusely.

The girl was taken to hospital. Ms Di Rollo said: “All the way she kept her eyes shut. She did not open them again until the following morning.”

The advocate depute said an examination of the assault victim had to be carried out under general anaesthetic because of the child’s distress.

She said that the consultant paediatric surgeon, Amanda McCabe, who operated on her, described the girl’s internal injuries as “horrific”.

Watt admitted assaulting the child to her severe injury on 16 March this year, when he appeared in court yesterday.

Defence solicitor advocate John Scott QC said it was clearly a very serious and anxious case and a significant custodial sentence was “inevitable”.

Lord Woolman told Watt: “You have pled guilty to a very grave charge.” The judge continued the case until next month for a background report and risk assessment on Watt.

The advocate depute said the child was expected to make a full physical recovery.