He cared more for dog – father who crushed baby's skull in horror attack jailed for life

Craig Jamieson shattered baby Abbie's skull and left her with horrific abdomen injuries after he brutally attacked her in the family home in Glasgow.

Abbie died from blood loss and shock and medical experts said her injuries were caused by her being hit off a hard surface such as a wall or a kitchen worktop.

It is believed the baby may have been swung by the ankles and smashed against something hard and then punched repeatedly in the stomach.

Yesterday, at the High Court in Glasgow a jury took just under four hours to convict Jamieson by a majority of the brutal killing.

Temporary judge Alastair Stewart QC told Jamieson, 30, that there was only one sentence he could pass, that of life imprisonment. He deferred sentence on Jamieson until today to determine how many years he should serve.

Prosecutor Lesley Shand QC described the assault as a "vicious" attack on a defenceless baby. She said that unemployed Jamieson had one previous conviction for assault in 1999.

Jamieson showed no emotion as he was led away to the cells, but members of his family broke down in tears and one called out: "This is all wrong."

Medical experts said Abbie could only have received her injuries while Jamieson was looking after her. But Jamieson, of Summerhill Place, Drumchapel, Glasgow, refused to own up to what he had done and tried to blame Abbie's mother Nichola Haddock, 29.

During two days in the witness box Ms Haddock was asked if she had ever hurt Abbie and told the jury: "No. I loved my daughter with every piece of me."

She told the court that Abbie was a miracle baby as doctors had told her that she may never conceive because of fertility problems.

During a 19-day trial Jamieson, through his defence QC Ronnie Watson, claimed Ms Haddock was either suffering from post-natal depression or disorder whereby a mother tries to get attention for herself by harming her child.

He did this even though Ms Haddock faithfully stood by him even after he was charged with murdering Abbie.

They marked the date of what would have been little Abbie's first birthday by releasing balloons together.

She only realised what he had done after she saw the post-mortem report and discovered Abbie's injuries were not accidental.

Abbie was with Jamieson at the family home in Dumbarton Road, Glasgow, on 8 February 2008 while Ms Haddock attended her social work and child care degree course at Glasgow Caledonian University.

Instead of caring for his defenceless baby Jamieson launched a violent attack on her.

Jamieson then phoned his own mother and Ms Haddock saying Abbie had gone white, her left eye was closing, she had a swelling at her left ear and the left side of her head was really hot.

Minutes later, as Ms Haddock arrived home, Jamieson made a harrowing 999 call. In it Ms Haddock is heard being talked through CPR by an operator.

Abbie was rushed to Yorkhill Hospital where medical staff battled for hours to save her.

Paramedics and staff at the hospital described Ms Haddock as weeping and emotional and Jamieson as distant.

Police who questioned Jamieson after Abbie's death believed he was jealous of the attention Ms Haddock gave her baby.

He was angry two nights before Abbie's murder when an early Valentine's night out in Glasgow at a restaurant followed by a trip to the cinema had to be aborted early in the meal because Abbie, who was being babysat, would not stop crying.

Jamieson denied he resented Abbie but he stunned detectives when he showed more concern about his dog Tara, a cross between a Shih Tzu and a Yorkshire Terrier.

Detective Sergeant Duncan Cameron, 43, who interviewed Jamieson 55 minutes after Abbie's death, said: "He was unconcerned not upset, not tearful. Not the reaction I would expect from a father who had recently lost his child."

Jamieson was asked by police whether he felt under pressure being a new father. He replied: "Did you see the dog we have. She's just like a baby."