Couple left injured baby in pain to attend Disney on Ice show

The trial took place at Glasgow Sheriff Court

Mark Watson, 43, and Lorraine Donnan, 40, decided to take the 11-week-old tot, who they had in their care, to the hospital the day after the performance.

Donnan had already agreed to take a three-year-old girl, and had “spent a lot of money on tickets”.

The baby wasn’t seen by medics until six days after he suffered a fractured thigh bone when he fell from a couch.

Watson and Donnan, from Thornliebank, Glasgow, pled guilty at the city’s sheriff court to wilfully neglecting the baby and failing to get medical attention after noticing the baby was in discomfort and pain. The court heard Donnan was watching the baby on 26 April 2016 and “momentarily” left him on the couch, not thinking he could move.

But, he fell on to the floor. Procurator fiscal depute Mark Allan said: “For the following few days the baby had vomited after feeding, which was unusual for him, and he had cried more than usual. The accused did not attribute this to the fall from the couch.”

Days later, on 29 April, Donnan suggested taking him to be seen by a doctor but Watson “convinced” here that it wasn’t necessary.

Mr Allan continued: “On the morning of 1 May, on bathing the baby both Watson and Donnan noticed his right leg to be swollen and bruised. This was the first time he had been bathed since falling from the couch.

“He also seemed to be in a lot of pain on moving his right leg and was unsettled on being picked up. They decided that they would arrange to have him medically examined, but decided to postpone for a day.

“The primary reason for this decision was that Donnan had already purchased two tickets to go to a Disney on Ice show.”

Later when interviewed by police, Watson described having “spent a lot of money on the tickets” which the court heard was £40.

The child was seen at the Royal Hospital for children and a consultant heard about his fall from the couch.

An X-ray showed a fracture to his right thigh bone and he was given painkillers. He was put in a harness to immobilize his leg and kept in until 6 May. A few days later the couple were detained by police.

Deferring sentence, Sheriff Crozier said: “Be under no illusion, this is an extremely serious matter and you will be punished.”