Man accused of attempted murder of 11-month-old baby on trial

Ryan Devaney appeared at High Court on Royal Mile. Picture: Greg Macvean

Ryan Devaney, 28, pleaded not guilty on Monday to a charge which alleges he attacked the child, who cannot be named for legal reasons, on various occasions in the Dundee area in 2015.

Mr Devaney, of Provost Road, Dundee, appeared in the dock of court room number four at the High Court in Edinburgh on the first day of proceedings against him.

Fifteen members of the public were selected to serve on a jury and heard the contents of a legal document detailing a total of 10 charges which have been brought against him by the Crown.

Prosecutors claim Devaney bit the infant and put a blanket over his head before pushing him on the body. Prosecutors claim Devaney’s action caused the child to fall to the ground.

He is also accused of shaking the little boy and inflicting blunt force trauma on him.

Devaney is said to have assaulted the child at a house in Dundee, an Asda car park in Milton of Craigie, Dundee and a house in Angus on various occasions between September and October 12, 2015.

Devaney is also facing a number of charges in which he is accused of assaulting a woman, who also cannot be named for legal reasons,.

The assaults are said to have taken place in the Dundee area between September 2015 and February 2016.

Devaney is also accused of breaching a November 2015 court bail order by contacting the woman by text message and inviting her to visit him.

Prosecutors also claim that in March 2016, Devaney behaved in a “threatening manner” towards the woman and phoning her and threatening her with violence.

Devaney also allegedly assaulted a man at a property in Dundee in November 2015.

Prosecutors also claim that between June 24 2015 and November 5 2015, Devaney possessed “extreme pornographic images depicting in an explicit and realistic way sexual activity involving animals and humans.”

Devaney has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is represented by advocate Brian McConnachie QC.

The trial, which is being heard before judge Lord Woolman continues on Tuesday.